


In the End

by RuinNyght



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-09
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-05-05 20:43:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 62,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5389571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RuinNyght/pseuds/RuinNyght
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Broken, scarred and bound to each other, Daryl and Carol have not only survived in this world where the dead walk and feed on the living but they have thrived. Yes, they have had their losses, the ghost of Sophia never far behind them, but they've learned to keep hold of what they do have. Each other and the group, but will outside forces tear them apart in the end?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Return

Slowly Carol would walk along the prison tower, pale blue orbs trained on the tree line as if she could merely will him to appear. When Rick and the others had returned from that god forsaken town she'd immediately noticed that they were lacking more than just Oscar. As soon as Rick had been able, he'd explained what had happened with Glenn filling the group in on the missing pieces. The others believed that Daryl must have gotten separated from them in the confusion of the smoke but one look into Rick's eyes and she knew the truth just like he did. Daryl had gone to try and find his brother.

Carol wanted to be angry, she wanted to kick and hit and throw a temper fit that would have made the redneck proud. She had known that his brother had a strong hold on him, but she'd thought that this group meant more, that she meant more. She hated this weak feeling in her chest, like she was about to crumble at any moment if she allowed herself, but she refused. Over the harsh winter she'd become someone new, or if not new than a better version of herself. She was never going to cower in the corner like she had before, she was stronger. She was a survivor, but the thought of him out there, dead or worse nearly broke her.

She cast her eyes down to the fence, those blue orbs narrowing as she looked at the rotting corpses that surrounded their haven. Some were merely coasting from one spot to another while others pressed themselves against the metal fence, hissing and growling for the flesh they could smell but couldn't reach. Carol's lip curled in disgust and her finger flexed against the trigger, all too happy with the idea of releasing some of her frustration but with a slow release of breath she moved her finger and placed the weapon there at her side.

Her hands fell to the metal guard rail and even she was able to see the white in her knuckles, a feat considering how pale she still was. She had tried to force herself to relax, even to rest as Hershel had instructed but visions kept plaguing her making her restless. Every time she closed her eyes all she could see was that small little closet that Daryl had found her in, those dark walls that had threatened to become her tomb.

At the thought she turned her head towards the three crosses that marked the graves of two of their fallen comrades as well as her own. No one had to tell her that they hadn't thought she'd make it; she hadn't even had to see the crosses to know. She wouldn't have expected her to make it either, truth be told. She had thought herself dead so many times that it was strange now to focus on being alive. A small little smile curved the corner of her lips as she thought about one of her new reasons to live. Judith. Just thinking the name had Carol relaxing slightly.

Every one of their group had taken to the little girl, realizing exactly what the child meant. Hope. Hope for a chance of reclaiming this planet back from the dead. Every time Carol held that little girl in her arms she felt just a little bit more complete, a little bit stronger than she had before. She wouldn't deny that a part of her hurt too, memories of holding her own little girl when she'd been that age always seemed to play in her mind like an old movie. Snap shots of a precious life that had been taken way too soon but the pain was something she could bare.

This worry on the other hand was slowly driving her insane. Again her eyes moved to the tree line and once again it was vacant of the one form she wanted to see. Her whole body tensed as she heard the footfalls up the stairs warning her of impending company. She'd wondered how long it would take him to seek her out. She didn't bother turning her head to acknowledge his presence as Rick joined her at the rail, his own eyes trained on the same line. They stood there in silence for countless minutes before he finally broke it.

"You really think he survived, that he'd come back if he did?" Rick sighed and leaned down placing his forearms on the metal. To Carol she couldn't remember a time he looked more exhausted. Even after the death of his wife and he'd lost his mind for awhile, he had still bounced back from the brink with relative ease. She would tilt her head, studying him a moment and it came to her why. It was because he was missing the one person he'd come to rely on, just like her.

Sighing softly she turned her eyes away from him and slowly leaned to mimic his stance they're shoulders brushing occasionally when one would shift. It was strange how comfortable she'd become with Rick, especially after their encounter after the Farm. But during the hard winter she had watched as he took they're small little group and turned them into warriors, survivors. They owed their lives to this man and Daryl, and she, more than anyone, realized and respected that. Before the end of the world no one had given two shits whether she was alive or not.

She could count on one hand the times that anyone had stepped in to try and help her, and one of those few times had happened after already joining the group. They hadn't tried to rescue her though, they'd forced her to realize she could rescue herself and because of that she would never, could never, simply brush any of them off especially Rick. Even if she did disagree with the choices he made sometimes.

"If he's alive he'll be back." Carol answered with determination thickly layered in her voice and then, with a slow curve of her lips, she would turn to meet Rick's eyes and voiced one of Daryl's favorite quotes. "He's alive. Aint nothin can kill a Dixon, but a Dixon." And no matter what Merle had done in the past or with his more recent actions, Carol refused to believe that Merle would ever allow Daryl to be killed. As much of a bastard as that low life had been to his brother, he'd still protected him from others and that was what Carol was counting on.

Rick chuckled but the amusement didn't quite reach his eyes, and honestly Carol didn't blame him. They had all seen what Merle was capable of every time they looked to Glen's battered face. Yet even then Carol wasn't fooled. She could understand Merle's hostility towards those that he believed had left him for dead, but the fact that he kept asking for Daryl, wondering if he was alive told her so much more about where his true concerns were.

"I don't know what we'll do if he doesn't…" Rick began but Carol stopped him by placing a hand to his forearm giving it a determined squeeze until he would raise his tired and worried eyes to meet the fierce blue of her own and only then would she speak.

"Daryl's coming back Rick, and if he doesn't…"the words stuck in her throat, pain washing over her at the mere idea but she pushes forward and lifts her chin in a stubborn gesture that she'd taken up over the last few months, "then we'll survive. We'll fight, just like we always have. "

Rick sighed heavily lifting his free arm to rub at the bridge of his nose. Carol watched him quietly, his expression morphing with his thoughts and though she could see that her words had given him a small amount of comfort, it didn't take away the heavy weight of his burden. After another stretched moment of silence in which Carol had allowed herself to get lost in thoughts, her eyes once more along that same tree line, she felt the weight of Rick's hand as it moved to rest atop hers.

"He'd kill me if he ever finds out I said this, hell don't think he even realizes it himself, but he cares about you Carol. We wouldn't have made it without him, but he wouldn't have stayed if it wasn't for you. Regardless of if he comes back or not, you should know that." Rick's voice was rough, a year's worth of regrets haunting his eyes and she knew he was thinking of his wife and the anger he'd held too so firmly in her last months with them.

Tears welled within her pale eyes and her other hand joined their others, giving his a pat before turning to look out once more, quickly blinking away those pesky drops of liquid. She was so tired of crying. It seemed like for almost all of her life she had never gone a day without shedding tears for one reason or another. First it had been her home life as a girl, then it had been her marriage to Ed, then the end of the world happened and she lost her baby. Sometimes she felt as if there should be permanent tracks where her tears have fallen on her face like the ledge of a canyon cut by a river.

Rick's words caused a bittersweet pang within her battered heart. She had known for some time that there had been something between her and Daryl but like the man in question, she wasn't sure what to call it or even if it were wise to try to give it a name. Still, as good as it was to hear these words it would have been so much better to hear them from Daryl himself. She could only hope and pray that she'd have the chance of that happening.

"Don't worry; I'll keep your secret safe. He'll never know it was you that tipped me off." She teases a little, the corner of her mouth lifting into the first genuine expression she'd truly felt since they had first returned. She wasn't sure exactly what she expected his reaction to be but when he actually laughed, a true deep bodied laugh Carol blinked not sure how to respond to his amusement.

"Somehow I think he'll know it was me." Rick said between chuckles making Carol all the more confused. Sure it was nice to see Rick laugh, lord knows they'd had very little to laugh about as of late but she wasn't sure what had been so funny about her words. Then she heard it, that quiet -THUNK- of an arrow being released and quickly shifted her eyes, gasping at the sight of him making his way towards the gate, killing everything that moved.

"Hey! Ya'll gonna open the damn gate or stand there holdin hands moonin all day?!" Daryl shouted with narrowed eyes towards the tower. He was exhausted, starving, wounded and now he was downright pissed. He'd been thinking about nothing else but her since escaping and when he finally makes his way home to her, what is she doing? Holding onto Rick, that's what. He relaxed a little though to see, even from this distance, the absolute joy that came over her features when she saw him. It put a little bit of ointment in the sting but he still wasn't too happy with what he'd seen.

Rick was the first to make it to the gate, Carol joined him using a shovel to drag across the fence to distract as many of the walkers from Daryl as possible. Her hands were shaking as she yelled and made as much noise as she could, her body going through the motions while her mind raced. What had happened? How had he escaped? Where was Merle? Those were just a few of the questions that were twirling around in her mind as she watched Rick pull Daryl those final steps through the gate. He was covered in blood, how much was his own was still in question but however bad he was injured it would be okay. He was alive and home where he belonged and that was all that mattered.

Dropping the shovel in its designated spot Carol dusted off her hands and made her way over to the others, standing slightly behind Rick's shoulder. What she really wanted to do was rush forward and wrap him in her arms and check him all over for injuries but she knew he'd probably die of embarrassment or worse, shove her back without even thinking of what he was doing. They had come a long way over the hard winter, slowly breaking down his walls until she was able to touch him without his flinching. Hell, most people in the group were now able to joke and tease Daryl in a way that was so unfamiliar to him but he was handling it well. Better than she could ever imagine. That being said, he was injured, tired and obviously on edge. Right now it was best to keep her distance…no matter how badly she didn't want too.

"Welcome home brother!" Rick shouted as he pulled Daryl in and gave him a brief hug and clap on the shoulder, all smiles now. Obviously he wasn't so concerned with upsetting the wounded redneck and briefly she wondered if she should have been. Able to watch though, she saw the way that Daryl winced, either in pain or discomfort she wasn't really sure but he didn't push Rick back and that brought a soft smile to the corner of her mouth. She was so incredibly proud of him in that moment, he'd come so damn far but then really they all had hadn't they?

"Never thought I'd ever call the slammer home but beggars can't be choosers." Daryl managed what he hoped passed as a grin towards Rick. He was mighty grateful seeing that he was actually missed but if the man didn't let go soon he might just have to punch him. His hand was resting near the gun shot he'd taken to the shoulder and it was taking an act of God to not give anything away. He looked past Rick and saw her standing there with that look in her eyes that she sometimes got whenever he seemed to do something that pleased her. At first it had annoyed him; he didn't need to be pleasing anyone. Carol was determined though to get under his skin, even when she wasn't even trying.

Carol understood him in a way that none of the others ever could, and maybe that was why it was so easy to give in to her. Soon he wanted to please her, to have her poking around in areas that were off limits to everyone else. Woodbury had proven just how much she'd changed him. He'd fought and clawed and killed his way out of that town, and the first and only thing on his mind that had kept him going was her. Her and little ass kicker, he refused to leave either of them in this shit hole of a world without him being there to protect them.

Carol had seen the look and gave a small nod, her smile brightening even further before she stepped forward and gently eased Rick's hand down away from Daryl's shoulder. "As much as he probably does need to staunch the blood flow to the wound Rick, I'm pretty sure he would much rather have it done inside…resting." She teased and gave a soft laugh as Rick's eyes widened and he lowered his hand immediately as if he'd been burned.

"I'm so sorry Brother, Carol's right, let's get you inside to Hershel." Rick of course knew better than to try and help take some of the weight off him by putting Daryl's arm over his shoulder but he did move close to his side so he could help if it were needed without appearing so. Carol moved to his other side and blinked as Daryl handed her his crossbow to carry. No one was allowed to touch the damn thing and the weight of it felt so odd in her hands but as she turned those eyes swiftly to Daryl's there was a message clear there between them that even Rick could see and smirk silently over.

No one was allowed to touch it, except for her now. It wasn't the verbal declaration that she'd wanted when Rick had first spoke of his thoughts about Daryl's feelings for her. It wasn't flashy, it wasn't a show and so few would even recognize it for what it was but Carol did. Carol understood and the smile that blossomed on her lips was nothing to the expressive eyes that she cast over to the Hunter. Her fingers secure their hold on the crossbow before she slung it over her shoulder to rest against her back just as Daryl always did, an action that caused his lips to twitch in amusement.

Declaration acknowledged, accepted and now returned. For now, that was enough.


	2. The Teasing

As soon as they'd entered the prison Carl had been the first to notice Daryl's return giving a loud whoop sound and had ran over, skidding to a stop before them. Carl continued to walk backwards asking how Daryl had escaped and if he'd taken down any of the townsfolk with him and probably would have asked more had Daryl not rolled his eyes and reached up knocking his father's hat off his head sending it rolling for him to chase with a groan.

Daryl smirked only to wince as he slowly eased himself down at one of the tables letting his back rest against the edge of the table. "Instead of askin all these damn questions, you could go get Hershel to dig this slug outta ma arm." The voice was gruff and strained but Carol watched as Carl merely smiled and gave a quick nod of his head taking no offense before racing into the cell block they all shared. When she turned her eyes back to Daryl she was met with those piercing eyes and found herself being studied quietly. Arching a brow she tilts her head slightly in question but her only response was a hint of a smile before he'd turn his attention to Rick and the others as they joined them leaving her to ponder what that look was for.

Rick took a seat at the table opposite and placed his elbows on his knees as he studied Daryl closely while Hershel sat next to him and began cutting at his sleeve to get to the bullet wound. He didn't say anything to the redneck other than placing a single hand briefly on his arm in welcome before he shifted his attention to his work. Carol stood close, watching the process with a student's eye, handing him the instruments he asked for without hesitation. She had been studying beneath Hershel and though she knew the concept, this was the first bullet wound that she was able to see in person.

She watched as he placed the tip of the scalpel slowly into the hole and crinkled her nose as she watched him begin to dig for the metal. Her eyes briefly left the scene to glance to Daryl's face, wishing that there was a way to stop him from hurting but he remained still, the only sign of pain was the occasional wince that twitched his features but for the most part it seemed his attention was focused on Rick.

"You able to tell us what happened?" Rick questioned and Carol tensed and sent a scolding eye towards their leader, frustrated that he wouldn't at least let Daryl get through this first before he questioned him. Her lips even parted to suggest that he wait but she felt Daryl's hand bump against her thigh, silently telling her it was alright. Her eyes still narrowed but her shoulders finally relaxed and she turned her attention back to Hershel, like him keeping a close ear to the conversation,

"Aint a whole lot to tell. They captured me, tried to get me and Merle to kill each other. Said we we're traitors, that Merle had helped us. Those folks, they were screamin for our blood with more sick glee than I ever saw a walker have. They're leader, that governor fella; he's one sick piece of work. Got all those folks thinkin he's the fuckin messiah or some shit. Oh and Andrea was there, seemed awfully friendly with him too."

That last part sent an abrupt chorus of gasps and numerous voices all trying to talk at once. Even Carol looked down at him with wide eyes though she didn't bother voicing what everyone else already had. They had all thought that Andrea had died the night they'd lost the farm, now to be told she was instead with the enemy… she wasn't even sure how to take that news.

"As glad as I am to hear that Andrea is alive, she's the last of our concerns right now. How long do you think we have till they make their way to the prison?" Rick asked, his eyes dark and serious, his face a mask as the two men stared at each other for a stretched moment which had gained the silence from the others as they waited with baited breath for the response. It was broken only by Daryl's harsh grunt as Hershel finally popped the metal free of his flesh, blood soon spilling free to be staunched by Carol's hand as she places a bunched up cloth there while Hershel reached to get the sutures.

"Aint sure, however long it takes for them to get rounded up, day or two at the most I'd reckon. We took out a lot of their men and their numbers are down but they still have more than we got and bigger guns too. And their pissed, that goes a long way." Daryl's voice was again rough from pain and growing exhaustion and the pull of the needle and sutures spearing through already irritated flesh weren't helping. Rick was silent for a moment before he would stand and look to all of them, meeting their gazes one by one before he'd give a nod of his head.

"Alright that doesn't leave us much time but we'll have to make do with what we got. Maggie, I need you to go and gather as much of the medical supplies as you possibly can, anything you think we might need. I want us to pick one room, deep in the prison where we can get too if things don't go our way. Pack them light encase we have to move out. Carl, sweep the armory again, get anything that we might have left, don't matter what it is. If we can use it take it. Beth I need you to pack up Judith's things and make a place for her in the room then go around and begin packing everyone's things, remember light bundles just like before."

Once Hershel had finished cutting the string and covered the wound with a protective bandage Daryl stood and met Rick as the others all scrambled to do as he'd ordered leaving only Daryl, Carol, Hershel and Glen remaining to gather around him. Carol placed herself there at Daryl's side, fear clenching her heart painfully at the thought of an attack, of loosing anyone else of her family. Yet no matter how frightened she was, she stood there with fierce determination to protect and keep what was theirs just like the others. She didn't fear death anymore, she wouldn't be found hiding meekly away while everyone else risked their lives for her.

"Carol I want you to go to the pantry and pack as much as you can, you know the way. After that meet back here and I'll go over the watch shifts with everyone. Thank god we took up those shooting lessons when we did. Glen, if you think you can, go and round up the other group and Axel, let them know what's going on. If they want to help we'd appreciate it but if not then they need to leave now before this gets ugly."

"Wait what other group? What the hell man. I'm gone for a day and we got even more strangers hangin around here. Aint you learned yet we can't trust nobody but us?!" Daryl shouted angrily at Rick who took it in stride.

"Daryl we don't have time for this. You want to discuss this later after we survive then by all means I'll listen but for now we need as many people as we can get. Do I trust them, hell no but we need them brother."

"Yea, we need them to put a bullet in our back while we aint lookin." Daryl growled but even he knew that it was pointless to argue at this point. "What the hell am I doin then?" Like hell he was going to be left out of the fight just because he was hurt, one look into Glen's eyes and he saw the same heated determination. They wanted their hands on the governor and no busted up face or bullet hole was gonna stop them from getting it.

"You and me are going to go take a look at that breached wall that Tyreese and them came through. See if there is a way to block that portion off so we don't leave ourselves vulnerable at the back. I want every cell block closed down, every gate shut unless it's the one's we're using. If they get in we need them to have a hell of a time getting to that room. We also need to pick which room is safest, more cut off than the others but close to an escape so if we have to run we can."

"What about the vehicles?" Carol spoke up for the first time and at first Rick looked like he'd forgotten she was even there, followed by confusion at her question so Carol elaborated. "If we have to make a run for it, we need to get the vehicles that we are going to run in…able to run. Take the gas from the ones we leave behind and put it in the car's we'll take."

When all the eyes left in the room turned to her Carol could feel the heat in her cheeks and had to fight the urge to lower her head and apologize for even speaking. She knew that she'd never have to do such things with anyone of them but old habits were hard to break and all the attention was making her even more nervous. She went to take a step back but felt Daryl's good shoulder there stopping her as it pressed against her shoulder blades keeping her in place. When she turned her head to gaze up at him he would merely shake his head then look back to the others making sure she was right where she had been. Rick's voice captured her attention again and when she turned her gaze back to him she blinked in surprise to see his smile.

"Excellent Carol, hell I'd forgotten all about the cars. Glen, you think you can cover that after getting the others. "He asked turning his attention away from Carol, allowing her to slowly release her breath and calm her nerves.

"Aint like he'd bite your head off for helpin woman, 'sides wouldn't let him even if he tried. You did good." Daryl's voice came quietly in her ear as he lowered his tone for her to hear him only while Glen and Rick talked amongst themselves. Hershel moved on to help Maggie with the medical supplies leaving just the four of them in the common area.

At his words Carol couldn't help but give a soft laugh and roll of her eyes as she turned to meet his gaze finding amusement there as well. "Yea well, in this world you never really can tell. Biting seems to be all the rage." She teased and her smile only grew when she heard his answering chuckle.

"Point taken."

Carol smirked and turned her attention back to Rick once she heard a break in the flow between him and Glen. "Before you get started Rick, Daryl needs to get some type of food in him if he isn't going to rest."

"Bah I'm fine woman, aint no need…" but before he could finish, ignoring the glare that Carol sent his way, he was interrupted by Rick.

"No Daryl, Carol's right. You should be in bed resting but some food will keep you going. You've lost a lot of blood and energy getting back to us; let's not make that for nothin. I'll come and get you after I make my rounds checking on everyone."

Carol smirked, happy to have him take her side for a change, leaving Daryl to glare and grumble. Rolling her eyes heavenward she prayed for patience. Any other person would be demanding to rest for just awhile. He'd been shot and god only knew what else and instead of wanting to take five minutes to put some food in his belly he wanted to go and get to work. As much as she admired the trait, and hell she wasn't gonna lie it was sexy as hell to have a man around as tough as Daryl was, it was still a pain in the ass.

"Oh, stop your whining, you're worse than Judith. Come on I'll fix up something quick and you can go run off quick enough." She heard his huff of indignation but didn't stick around to hear just what he was working himself up to say. Instead she simply turned and made her way towards the cafeteria leaving him to follow after her. When no footsteps immediately followed she almost turned around, afraid she'd gone too far but then she heard his grumbling before she'd feel his presence there at her side.

"Gettin a little bit bossy dontcha think?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as her lips merely twitched into a hint of a smile, her eyes bright even in the darkness that they lived within the prison. Daryl would reach out and give her shoulder a little shove making her skip a step and release a laugh that surrounded them in the darkness.

"And here I thought you had a thing for the lippy girls." She teased right back, so much of her tension easing from her now that they were alone and able to talk freely. Of course it wasn't some deep conversation about their feelings or any such thing, but this was more than enough for her, to even have him there to tease her in his bashful way, as if still not sure if it would be welcomed or not.

When they reached the cafeteria door and he still hadn't responded she turned going to open the door with her back only to feel him reach out and grasp the handle making it stay closed while she found herself pressed against its solid length. Blinking she cast those pale orbs of hers up to meet his mischievous hues and felt the breath within her lungs freeze up as he leaned in slightly so she could feel his breath tease against her lips making her force back a whimper.

"Damn, hearing must be going bad in your old age," he winked to take the sting of his words away, knowing her issues with her age, "I said…I like girls with pretty lips." Even in the dark she could feel his eyes travel down to her lips and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't help but drag a tongue across them to ease the sudden dryness that had stolen over them.

"Hmm, not bad…not bad at all. But sorry, seems someone else has even prettier ones than yours." Carol frowned, wondering which of the women had stolen his attention when she wasn't looking. It couldn't be Maggie; Daryl wasn't the type to go after another man's woman, especially one he thought of as a friend. Beth was far too young, he wasn't a pervert like Axel, so then who, surely not Michonne?

Daryl enjoyed watching her try and figure out who he was talking about, loving the way he could read each of her thoughts simply by watching the way her features shifted and changed. When finally she just looked up at him completely at a stump Daryl laughed and took pity on her. Normally he'd made her wait it out, a day or two even, but seeing as they might not have that long he decided to not make her squirm.

"Hey, aint my fault the little ass kicker has better lips than you. Take it up with her." He then opened the door suddenly making her stumble back and nearly trip if she hadn't caught herself just in time. Whistling he made his way past her, enjoying the fact that she was the one now left to grumble and follow.


	3. The Possession

Carol bore a hole into his back as she followed him into the cafeteria trying to not only calm her playful annoyance but her heart as well. Damn there was something about Daryl that spiked something in her she'd never felt before or if she had it was so long ago she had no memory of it. Even before she'd realized what type of monster she'd married, Ed had never been able to affect her to the level Dixon did. It was both an adventure as well as a frustration. Of course she'd finally found that at the end of the world with a man who didn't have a clue.

Rolling her eyes at herself she made her way past him as he turned to lean against the counter in his usual space next to her so he could watch her prepare the food. She'd never fully understood why he seemed so intent on watching her with something so simple, wasn't like she'd poison him or anything, though the thought was tempting after his stunt by the door. Smiling quietly she began to pull out the ingredients she'd need for a quick sandwich, she'd have fixed him something more filling but she knew he'd complain the longer he was forced to remain in there. As she began to cut the canned meat she caught him studying her out of the corner of her eye and knew he was waiting on a retort. She wouldn't disappoint.

"That's fine Daryl; you can like her lips all you like. At least there is one man around here that don't mind an old woman's." She fought back the urge to crinkle her nose at the thought of Axels' advances. The man was like a dog with a bone and she was growing tired of his constant hovering, especially where Beth was concerned. Still Daryl didn't need to know all of that. Humming softly she could feel the heat of his narrowed gaze as it bore into the spot between her shoulder blades, forcing her to fight the urge to squirm. Silently she counted the seconds until he'd release whatever it was he was chewing over.

"What the hell you mean? Who….aint Rick is it?" he questioned with a growl, his eyes narrowing as he moved to stand closer to her, one hip resting against the counter while his two arms became crossed over his chest, a clear sign of displeasure. It nearly made her giddy at the sight before he'd finish his thoughts. "I saw ya'll moonin all over each other outside. Thought you didn't like officer Friendly." He added the last with the nearest thing she'd ever seen to a pout on his face.

"Oh now stop that, you aint called him that in forever and that wasn't your opinion of him to begin with, that was Merle's. And as a matter of fact no, it aint Rick. You really think he'd be moving on just weeks after his wife died?" Carol watched as that sank in and she saw the slow relaxation of tense muscles making her give a soft laugh and shake of her head before she'd turn and hold out the plate for him. "Honestly, you'd think you were a bit possessive there…" she teased with a wink as he reached for the plate.

His eyes raced to meet her gaze before they would narrow and she'd hear him give a grunt before turning to rest his back against the counter, purposefully ignoring her last statement. "Well only one else left is Axel and he aint that damn dumb to try and mess with you." He finished with a bit of a smirk on his face, a sight which didn't end up pleasing the woman next to him at all. Tossing down a cloth she turned and placed a clenched fist at her hip and glared at him with fiery eyes.

"So a man has to be dumb to want to mess with me is that what you're saying Daryl Dixon?" Carol watched as his eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment before he'd growl and narrow his gaze tossing the plate down on the counter to lean into the argument.

"Aint what I said, quit puttin words in ma mouth. I'm just sayin he'd be a fucking moron to try is all. Aint got nothin to do with you…" he stopped and narrowed his gaze even further and stepped forward taking away some of the space between them. "That bastard try anything?"

Carol blinked, trying to decide when simple teasing had turned into…well whatever this was. They weren't really arguing she knew but there was a tension there that hadn't been before and she cursed herself for having been the one to change the easy banter. Releasing a heavy sigh she lifted her hands up in a calming gesture. "Daryl honestly it's not that big of a deal. I only brought up anything to just tease you. Axels' harmless, really." She tried to reassure him but could easily see the flash enter his expressive eyes and without a word he turned to start out.

Squealing she jumped and raced ahead of him to press herself back against the door, one hand covering the handle while the other held itself out towards his chest to try and block him if she could. "Now Daryl you're being entirely unreasonable. Axel hasn't even done anything but hover and that was only after I told him I wasn't a lesbian."

"Why the fuck would you tell him you weren't if it were keeping him off your tail?" He ordered making her eyes narrow now and as he stepped closer she used her hand at his chest to give a frustrated shove before she'd stand up from the door a bit and advanced on him, anger turning her pale orbs into ice as she jabbed a finger forcefully into his chest with each word she released.

"Because he was asking Beth how old she was Daryl, I told him to stay the hell away from her and when he said he was just lonely and all the older women were taken and I was a lesbian what the hell was I supposed to say? So I told him I wasn't and since he's stayed away from Beth."

"Yea, and now that perv has focused his sights on you. Yea, that's so fucking better." Daryl grunted and looked down to the finger that was still pressing into his chest and reached up to gently wrap her wrist into a firm hold and slowly took it away from his body, making sure to not harm her but to keep her locked in his hold all the same.

"Damn right it's better; she's just a girl Daryl. All he does is follow me around and try to be helpful, sure it's annoying but it isn't like it's a crime. Besides, you can't go kill him for it anyway, for one Rick already said we need as many people as we can get and two…well he hasn't done anything." Carol tried to jerk her wrist free but it was still trapped in his gentle but steel like grasp. Grumbling she tugged once more hoping he'd get the picture but when he didn't she finally sighed reluctantly and gave up, losing her anger along with her surrender.

"Daryl, it really is okay. Can't we just forget about all of this? You just got home and I…well… I was so worried." She finally added with downcast eyes, as if she were frightened what her admission would cause him to lose his temper. She tensed, preparing herself for him to toss her hand and scoff at her concern but when nothing happened she finally forced her eyes up to meet his and blinked at what she saw there.

With a grunt he allowed his thumb to brush across her wrist almost absently, like his body moved in auto pilot while his mind seemed to be struggling to put his thoughts into words. Finally he'd sigh and release her before taking a step back from her. "Guess we're even then, for making me think you were dead."

Carol blinked in surprise once more and as he turned to return to his plate she stopped him with a hand gently resting on his arm. "I'm sorry I worried you, I'm sorry that you thought I was dead." She whispered softly, those pale blue orbs almost watery as they gazed up to his profile as he refused to turn to look at her. Instead he would look down to her hand and gave a quiet nod of acceptance to her words before he'd move away gently dislodging her hold.

"Ain't nothin to be sorry for woman, you alive aintcha?" then he'd smile, that little half smirk that let her know that everything was okay, "Sides, think I owe you a life anyway. Still don't quite know how the hell I made it out of that town."

Carol was about to ask him what he meant, for the details she'd been fighting so hard to keep from asking for but before she could the door would open and Axel would make his way into the cafeteria to interrupt her. "Hey Carol, there you are, been lookin all over. Need any help?"

Before she could gently turn him away, Daryl was quick to answer in a tone that practically oozed daggers. "She don't need none of your help. Aint you got something to do anyway sure seem like I remember Rick given you orders."

Carol could tell that Axel was thrown off guard; he wasn't very used to Daryl on a good day, let alone on a day like today. She could practically see the wheels spinning in his head as he tried to find a way to back pedal his way out of the angry red neck's path of destruction. When he finally just looked to her for salvation she sighed softly and stepped between the two, keeping her back towards Daryl while she captured Axels' gaze with hers. "Thanks Axel but I think I got it, why don't you go see if any of the men folk need some help?" she asked pointedly, praying that he would get the hint to leave Beth alone too. The last thing they needed was Glen, Hershel and Daryl to all lose their heads right now.

"Uh...yea. I'll go do that then. If you change your mind just you holler" Even Carol could see the hopeful expression in his eyes and sighed softly as she felt the dangerous man behind her tense. Damn it she'd just got him calmed down too.

"She aint gonna ever be hollerin for ya so why don'tcha do yourself a favor and scram while she can still hold me back." Daryl yelled over her shoulder, pointing an angry finger in the other man's face. Daryl had caught that expression too and he sure as hell didn't like it.

Carol sighed and turned her back towards Axel and brought her focus onto Daryl, wishing the other man would just take the hint and leave already. It was one thing when he annoyed her; it was something entirely different when Daryl was there to watch her be annoyed. She wouldn't lie though; a secret part of her was thrilled with Daryl's reactions. Even if he wasn't jealous it was obvious that he cared a great deal and that was more than enough for her. She was having a hard time hiding her smile and when she finally heard the door close behind her she let it slip free as she turned her gaze up to meet his furious hues.

"You stay the hell away from him, aint right in the head." He warned her. Normally she'd tease but she decided the poor man had been put through the ringer enough for one day, hell for one week at least. So instead of giving him hell for his high handed demands she gave his arm a gentle pat and kept her smile genuine.

"I promise I'll try my best. Now let's get that sandwich down you and get you on your way. You sure you don't want to rest first?" She couldn't help but ask, wishing he'd go lay down but even as she did she knew what the answer would be.

"Bah, aint no need for restin, aint got the time. Gov'ner is comin and he aint gonna pay no friendly visit. We got to get ourselves prepared or get the hell out of here while we can." He paused as he lifted the sandwich up to his lips and met her gaze. Carol watched him as she made her way back to the sink to lean against it, watching his lips twitch with the desire to say something but couldn't find himself able too.

"We'll get through it Daryl, we always have. There is nothing that he can do, that he can take from us that we haven't lost before. He might know where we are but he doesn't know who he's facing. " she gave a nod, almost to herself as if to put even more determination into her words, for him and for her. She could only pray that she was right.

When she felt his hand come to rest on her shoulder she blinked and turned her eyes quickly to face him, it wasn't often that he willingly touched her first and the heat of him burned into her skin like a physical memory.

She could see so many emotions swirling within his eyes, some she could name while there were others she couldn't. Daryl might not be a man to express himself through words, but she could read him easily through his actions and through his eyes. Smiling she raised a hand and let it rest against his on her arm, giving it a squeeze before she'd feel him shift and pop the rest of the sandwich in his mouth before moving away.

She knew he'd be uncomfortable with anything she was willing to say at the moment so she remained silent as he made his way out of the cafeteria and let herself get distracted by her chores from Rick. It was part of the reason that his voice from behind her came as such a surprise as he stopped at the door to look back at her.

"There's still a few things I aint willing to loose, so stay close." Before she could turn around and stare in amazement he was already gone leaving her with nothing but her racing thoughts, a pounding heart and a smile slowly spreading on her lips.


	4. The True Sign

Carol rolled her shoulder, trying to ease the stiffness that had crept up on her when she'd started the group's laundry. She'd spent almost the entire day gathering the food supplies in as easy to carry bundles as possible before moving them to the safe room. She hadn't seen Daryl since the cafeteria and for once Carol was almost relieved. It was so hard, not just for her but for all of them, to keep from asking him about his trip back to them. How had he escaped the governors grasp and where oh where was Merle? Carol knew he wasn't dead, they would be dealing with a far less calm hunter if that were so and from what she'd gathered from Beth as she brought up the clothes, he was currently having far too much fun giving the evil eye to Axel.

Carol's lips twitched at the thought, unable to hide the pleasure that washed through her. Oh she knew she shouldn't find it so, but knowing that he was out there giving Axel hell for her just made her want to hug the man. She'd never experienced what it was like to have someone looking out for her, as an only child she had just looked on in envy at the girls who had the big brothers scaring off the wrong guys. Maybe if she would have, she wouldn't have fallen into the trap that had been Ed. Then again she never would have had her precious Sophia; maybe she never would have been in Atlanta to meet her new family. She could be walking around like one of those things right now; it was a sobering thought process to be sure. They always said that everything happened for a reason and she'd never really given it much thought but had she never married Ed, sure her life would have been better then, before the world went to shit, but she had no doubt she'd be dead now. And despite everything that she'd been through since the Walkers, even with the world like it was and the governor at their heels, she wanted to live.

A little gurgle coming from her left made her somber thoughts vanish like a wisp of smoke, her lips finally allowing that smile she'd been holding back to blossom on her lips. Shaking out one of the shirts she hastily tossed it over the railing to dry before she'd wipe her hands and move over to the little makeshift crib and crinkled her nose at the little squirming bundle that lay inside.

"Hey there sweet pea, awake from your nap I see." She grinned down as she took hold of the baby's feet and gave them a wiggle and shake making the little girl coo and give a smile. She couldn't wait for the little girl to start being able to make more sounds, especially laughter. They could all use a little bit of that right about now. With a soft sigh she let her eyes wander around the cell block from her perch above and shook her head to herself. This place was supposed to have been their safe haven. A way to have a chance in this horrible world, and now because of one ruthless man it was being threatened. Why was it, she wondered, that men just couldn't stick to their area and leave others alone. They always want more…greedy bastards.

Leaving the child to suckle on her fist she returned to the laundry and began to shake out one of Glen's mended shirts when she heard the sound of heavy footfalls coming up the stairs. She didn't bother turning around to see who it was; she'd know those boots anywhere. "Got bored of tormenting Axel?" she called over her shoulder, a smirk forming as she heard the amused grunt from behind her.

"Bah, Idiot needs it, somethin aint right in his head." Daryl answered simply before he lowered his crossbow to the ground and wiped his hands on his pants to be rid of any lingering debris before he'd reach in and lift the little girl from her crib and held her expertly against him, glancing around to making sure Carol wasn't watching before he'd smile fully and wiggle his fingers at her. "Hey there little ass kicker, miss me?"

Carol smiled and turned her head to watch him as she wrung out one of Beth's shirts. She never would have guessed it, but the hard ass hunter seemed to be a pro when it came to handling babies. Beth had told her how he'd been when they thought she'd died with T-Dog, how he'd been hell bent on keeping the "little ass kicker" alive and healthy and happy. She knew he still carried the guilt of Sophia around with him even though it wasn't his to bare. "How could she not. Not every day a little girl gets her own hero to bend to her will." She teased, moving over to stand beside him so she could look down at the pretty little face.

"I aint no hero and I aint bendin to no one's will, specially not some little bed bug." He sent a playful glare at her only to pause and blink, not having realized she'd gotten so close. Immediately he'd tense, it wasn't that he wanted too, he hated that he did, but he couldn't help it. But when she didn't move away and instead reached into the blanket to pull out on of Judith's little hands he felt himself relax. While she was preoccupied Daryl took the chance to study her, letting those blue eyes trace over every line of her face, a face that he'd been so afraid he wouldn't see again. He didn't know what the hell he felt when it came to Carol, well that wasn't entirely true, he had a pretty damn good idea but he wasn't about to say it not even in the safety of his own head.

Somehow she'd wormed her way into his blood, settled there beneath his skin. Ever since he'd been a kid he'd always heard voices in his head. His pa's angry ranting, telling him he was nothin, more worthless than garbage, then there was his ma's voice, the voices of other kids calling him names once Merle had taken care of them giving him a chance and finally Merle's voice calling him pussy and that no one would ever love him like he did. He hated all those damn voices, the way they made it hard to think, to know what to do and who to turn too. But now there was a new voice, her voice telling him he was just as good, that he was worthy of happiness and friendship. Her voice was the only thing that could make all the others go quiet, and it was her voice that had urged him on, forced his feet to move until he'd come back to her.

"Oh I beg to differ. How do the younger kids put it? Your wrapped man." She grinned impishly as she wiggled her little pinky at him letting him know what she was talking about. Daryl narrowed his eyes and swatted her hand away with a growl which only caused her to giggle.

"What, you tryin to relive your youth by talkin like them? Don't suit ya." He found himself teasing her right back, his own eyes amused as they peeked up from Judith and caught her gaze, her open mouth in surprise had him chuckle before he had the time to stop. When she took her turn to swat at him he'd roll his eyes, it was like a fly had tried to knock him over.

"Would you stop calling me old!" she laughed even as she glared at him. His eyes widened for brief moment, afraid he might have actually offended her, his lips would move but no words could escape before she'd roll her own eyes this time and huffed at him. "Don't try and back peddle now, too late. Didn't anyone tell you never to make fun of a woman's age?" she tisked and shook her head before leaning in a bit to look to Judith. "Silly boy."

Daryl narrowed his eyes at that last part, his nervousness and fear of having hurt her feelings disappeared and was replaced by ire when she turned the tables and called him boy. "Boy?" he repeated, just to make sure that he'd heard her right.

Carol snickered and gave a nod of her head. "Yep, boy. Surprisingly for my age I don't think that I stuttered." Carol bit her bottom lip to try and keep from grinning when she saw the look on his face. Oh but it was so fun teasing him. It hadn't taken long to realize that no one had ever even taken the time or interest to try before, watching him try to figure out if she was teasing or not was at some times, like now, very funny. Didn't mean it still didn't break her heart to watch him struggle, didn't make her a bit nervous that he'd take things wrong and blow up…which had happened…more than just a time or two, especially at first. But now things seemed to flow much more naturally for him, at least with her. He was starting to trust that she'd never purposefully hurt him and it made her so proud to watch that hesitancy, that struggle last shorter and shorter each time.

"Aint no boy, got too many of those runnin round here as it is. 'sides aint hearin you complainin well I guess in your case it would be naggin wouldn't it ass kicker?" Judith gave a happy little squeal like sound up at him and waved her fist in the air until he would give into her and slide a finger for her to close her little fist around.

Carol gave a gasp and nudged his arm. "I do not nag!" she gave him a final glare before they found themselves interrupted by Beth coming up the stairs. The girl paused when she saw them there; standing close huddled around the babe. She didn't really spend a lot of time with Daryl, she'd even admit to being a little frightened of him at first, but she'd seen him around Rick and Glen but mainly Carol. It was like whenever she was around all that anger and meanness calmed and she was able to see the good guy within. Not to mention the way he was around Judith. No one could look at that little girl and hold her like he did, determined to keep her alive and be a bad guy.

"I'm sorry…it's just…it's time for her feeding." Beth spoke quietly as both adults turned and focused on her with their gazes, the look of disappointment in Daryl's eyes making her smile. "Don't worry I can bring her back up if you like?" she offered as she moved over and gently took her from his hold.

"Nah, shouldn't hold her till I get cleaned up anyway and there is still shit to do. I'll check on her before you put her down." Daryl eased his finger from Judith's hold and watched as Beth turned to Carol letting the older woman bend to brush her lips against the baby's forehead then she surprised Beth by kissing hers as well.

"You're doing a wonderful job Beth; let me know if you need anything." Carol smoothed a hand down the young woman's arm, pleased with the flush of pleasure that Beth gave before giving a quick nod before she made her way downstairs. When Carol turned she found Daryl studying her closely which for some unknown reason had her nervous, a light blush creeping up into her cheeks. "What?"

Daryl smirked and shook his head, "Nothin." He replied simply and ignored the look of confusion and curiosity that took over her face. Reaching down he picked up the crossbow and slung it over his arm before moving over to her once more. "I uh… thought that maybe you'd like to get some," but before he could finish his question again they were interrupted by the sound of foot falls on the stairs. "Jesus, aint people got shit to do." He growled making her giggle.

Both of them turned and both frowned when they laid their eyes on Axel. Carol couldn't believe he'd actually dared to hunt her out after what all he'd suffered under Daryl all day. She could feel the tension rolling off Daryl as he moved up close behind her, could feel the heavy breath's as it forced his chest into her arm. This wasn't going to be pretty, no not at all. She went to open her mouth to try and warn Axel away but before any words came out of either her or Daryl, Axel beat them to the punch.

"Daryl, Carol, Rick's askin for ya." And with one last puppy dog look to Carol he turned and left as fast as he arrived making Carol feel guilty for the way she'd been treating him. Honestly, he really hadn't tried anything and he'd honestly helped her out a couple times. She could hear the grumbles still coming from Daryl making her turn to look to him. It was obvious he still wasn't too happy with Axel and she blamed herself fully for it. She'd stirred the pot, now she was gonna have to try and get it to cool and calm.

"He's really not that bad ya know. He just wants to help and he's lonely," Carol began only to have those piercing blue eyes rush to hers as they narrowed and the anger leapt in his eyes all over again.

"He tried to hit on Beth! She's just a little girl!" Daryl hadn't meant to shout at her, but the idea that she was defending that creep went right through him. He wasn't even angry with her really but before he could get his brain to register that, more words were flying out of his mouth before he could stop them. "What, you got a thing for perverted assholes or what? Ed not nough for ya?" he pushed past her, shaking with anger, more at him now than her. The instant that the words had left his mouth he'd seen the pain hit her; the tears sparkle in her blue eyes. It was just like the night after losing Sophia. He wanted to take it back but didn't know how, so he tried to run and get away from those haunting eyes. Only her hand reached out and grasped his arm forcing him to stop.

"Don't. Don't you dare." She hissed at him in all her fury, making his eyes widen in surprise. Before he could even think on what to do she was stepping forward into his space again and when he went to back up he found the railing stopping him leaving him cornered. "I didn't wait and pray and even beg a God I don't even know is up there, for you to return just so you can do this. So whatever I accidently stirred up in you where Axel is concerned I'm sorry but don't go throwing that temper around. Not now. You want to act like a child you do it on your own damn time."

Daryl watched with wide eyes as she railed at him giving him a what's four that he couldn't deny he deserved. When he'd seen those tears he'd thought she'd run past crying or stay up here and hide, he hadn't expected her to get in his face. Even as it irked him, he was so damn proud of her he could barely contain his smile. That a girl, don't you take no shit, not even from me. Still he wasn't exactly thrilled with her calling him a child, especially in defense of that moron but damn was she a sight waving that dainty little finger in his face as she gave him hell like even his own momma couldn't have done.

He finally couldn't take it anymore and began to let that little side smirk curl the corner of his lips which only earned him a slap to his chest. "Don't you laugh at me when I'm yelling at you!" she yelled but she couldn't hide that little tick at the corner of her mouth that let him know she was forcing back a smile.

"Sorry." Daryl replied simply making Carol arch a brow and cross her arms beneath her breasts trying to decide if he was apologizing for his words or for laughing. When she didn't relax her stand he shifted from one foot to another reminding her of a little boy getting in trouble for being naughty. It was enough to ease the pain and anger and finally allow that smile to blossom.

Daryl saw it and immediately relaxed. He'd been an idiot but he knew that she had forgiven him, probably even before he'd finished speaking and that smile was all he needed to know that it was alright. He hated it when they argued, he hated it more when he knew he was at fault and that he'd hurt her. He never wanted her disappointed and yet he couldn't seem to stop saying the most painful things to her. Merle was right about one thing. There was definitely something wrong with the Dixon blood, they needed to stay the hell away from people, good people like Carol. But it was too late now, he wouldn't leave her and she'd made it perfectly clear that she weren't too happy with him when he was forced too.

"Come on; let's get down there to Rick before he starts shouting at us." Carol smiled and when they went down the stairs both were conscious that their arms would brush against each others as they moved, and both took comfort and pleasure in that simple little touch, allowing it to melt away the rest of their ire.

Daryl was about to move into the room ahead of her when her small hand fisted in his shirt bringing him to a halt. Turning around confused and nervous, not liking anyone so close to his back he raised his own brow and stared silently down into her impish face.

"Next time you feel the need to say something like that to me again….just remember who washes your clothes. I would hate for an accident to happen and nothing fit. Naked Daryl just isn't as intimidating. " With that she passed by with a smirk and a happy little whistle leaving him staring after her for a moment in shock. When he could finally move he would enter the room with a shake of his head in wonder. The woman had him by his drawers…literally. He took the seat beside her and gave her a glare to which she'd giggle and bump her knee into his.

"I think I'll be doing my own clothes from now on." He grumbled which caused her to laugh brightly, the sound floating around the room making everyone turn to stare at them. Instantly he was uncomfortable with all the eyes on him, he shifted and probably would have stood to try and get the attention away from him but then he noticed that the others were now smiling as well. Her laughter, though the others didn't know where it came from or why, was a welcome distraction and when a few poked a few curious questions to try and share with her humor she'd just shake her head.

"Woman's got way too much power round here." He grumbled again, this time unable to hide his own amusement, at least from her and it set her to giggling all over again, this time making him chuckle too when her face got all red. The curious looks only grew as each of the others looked from Daryl to Carol waiting on one of them to explain but it only seemed to make their amusement grow. Carol reached up and wiped at her eyes, whispering something that actually had Daryl release a true laugh that startled almost everyone but the tiny woman sitting next to him. She held up a hand to her mouth to try and stifle her amusement and Daryl was struggling through coughs to get his own laughter under control. Still neither of them had explained what the hell was so funny.

Finally Glen shake his head as he looked to the pair then down to Carl who was sitting on the bench of the table beside him while he sat on the table. "Dude I don't know what the hell is going on…but it's freaking me the hell out. He's not supposed to look like that…and he's laughing…it's the end of the world."

Carol laughed then turned to look to Glen, one eyebrow raises up under the brim of his dad's hat. "Uh…encase you haven't noticed the flesh eating dead people walking around outside…I think that's already happened."

"Nah, that was just the warning…this right here…Daryl Dixon laughing…freely…nope that's definitely the sign. Buckle up bitches, it only gets worse from here." He would nod making Carl roll his eyes, Beth leaned from around his other side to roll her eyes directly at her sister's boyfriend's face.

"You're an idiot and if you don't stop making fun of him," she whispers warningly, "I'll tell him your making fun of him then I'll tell Maggie I caught you going through Carol's underwear and I'm pretty sure she'll tell Daryl that part too." She added smugly as Glen started to get paler with each threat.

Finally he'd just look forward and both kids heard his grumbled. "See…end of the world as we knew it. The day people start protecting Daryl and throwing me under the bus definitely marks it."

"What was that ShortRound?" Daryl asked with a heated glare, He hadn't heard what all was said in that corner but he'd heard his name and that was enough for him. Beth covered her mouth and began to giggle while Carl hid his face beneath the shadow of his hat to hide his own amusement. Glen on the other hand paled further and shook his head rapidly.

"Nothin, just a small debate on apocalypses." He explained which sent the two kids beside him into fits of laughter making the others look on even more confused about what the hell was going on. It was a strange day and now Glen only feared it would get worse. Screw the Govener, he was far more frightened of a Maggie Daryl team.


	5. All I got

It had finally grown dark after hours of hard labor and Rick had at last called an end to the preparations for the day. Carol had ended up volunteering for one of the night watch shifts so the others could get some much needed rest. As she stared out into the dark fields she could easily see the shifting forms of the walkers as they moved from place to place, forever looking for a way to the flesh they could smell so tantalizingly close but out of reach. When the outbreak had first happened it had been so hard for her to see these monsters and not think of the people that they used to be, now it was hard to remember they had ever been human's at all.

Perhaps that was how the mind helped you get over what you had too to survive. The only ones that ever really shook her resolve and composure any more were the children. Thankfully only one had come up to the fence since she'd taken up watch duty and though Glen had offered to put it down Carol had held firm that she had to do it. She'd had nightmares for days afterward, seeing Sofia's face instead of the unfamiliar child's. No one ever mentioned it, no one ever asked if she was alright and she was grateful for it. Sometimes you just had to get through things on your own.

At the sound of foot falls behind her she shifted and looked over her shoulder to blink in surprise to find Daryl striding over to join her in one of the two lawn chairs that had been placed on the roof to offer some comfort to the watchers. She had expected him to rest like the dead, no pun intended, after all the hard work he'd put in after having escaped Woodbury with a gunshot no less. "Shouldn't you be resting?" she asked with concern evident in her tone as he dropped down exhaustedly beside her.

"Can't sleep, figured you could use the company." He stated simply before resting his head back against the back of the chair, closing his eyes against the concerned stare she kept focusing on him until finally he smirked. "Can't exactly keep watch for walker's ifn you keep starin my way." His smirk broadened a little at her huff and shift as she took her eyes back to the tree line.

"Walkers are the last of our worries anymore." She stated sadly and couldn't believe that it was actually true. As horrible and dangerous as the walkers were, they had learned to survive them. Sure it hadn't been pretty but they'd made it and she had no doubt that if they were forced out on the run again they would do the same. But they're immediate threat wasn't one of the dead, instead it was one of the living and that made it so much more dangerous. Walkers couldn't think, couldn't plan all they could do was smell and eat and rot.

"You say that only cause there's those fences keeping them out, take those down and I bet your opinion would change." He smirked a little, opening just one of his eyes to take a glance at her before letting it fall closed again to hide his amusement at her frustrated glare.

"I'm not stupid, I know that, but I also know that the Governor is far more deadly to us right now than them." She answered with a little grumble in her voice. She hated it when they treated her like she didn't have a working brain in her head. Hell besides Andrea, she was the one who had had the furthest education amongst the group, just because she made the stupid choice of marrying Ed didn't mean that she was an idiot in every other category too.

"Aint callin you stupid woman, calm down its too late for another row." Daryl chuckled and shook his head as she crossed his arms over his chest and settled lower in the chair letting his long legs stretch out in front of him before he'd further his response, "Besides your right. That man is worse than any herd of walkers." At that his eyes would open to glare out into the night, one hand rising to settle absently over his shoulder where Hershel had dug the bullet from him earlier.

The expression on his face had changed from one of amusement and exhaustion to one of quiet seething anger and a sadness that had her heart lurch within her breast. She'd forgotten about his ordeal with the Governor due to all the commotion of the day. She felt such guilt eating away at her conscience, that she could have forgotten his pain for even a moment. It was just so hard to remember when he made it seem like he'd been on a simple hunt, not drawing anyone's attentions to the pains and problems that he carried with him. It was her job to make sure someone asked. It was her job to make sure he was taken care of even when he didn't want to be taken care of. She wasn't sure when it had started over the winter but there was an unspoken agreement that everyone in the group shared and acknowledges though no one spoke out loud. Daryl kept Carol safe, and Carol kept Daryl sane. They were each others responsibilities and no one else's.

"Daryl…what happened at Woodbury?" there was a shaky hesitance in her question, afraid that she'd chosen the wrong time to even attempt at bringing up the topic but they were alone and secluded where no one would hear, if there was a better time she couldn't think of it. She watched as his body tensed in the chair and shifted to sit up straight, his eyes no longer watched the darkness but instead turned to meet her own gaze. His mouth parted, forming the beginnings of a word before he stopped and shook his head turning to look away from her as he gathered his thoughts.

Carol reached out and gently laid her hand against his arm, feeling the muscles bunch and tense beneath her fingers before finally after a few tender strokes he would slowly relax and turn to meet her gaze once more and when he finally began to speak she slid her hand down his arm and let it settle over his wrist. "They had this arena type place that they brought me too and there were all these people around, more numbers that we even had at the beginning. The Governor was working them up into frenzy, telling them we attacked them for nothing, that we wanted what they had. They wouldn't even give me a chance to say nothin." He paused and gave a deep sigh as he lowered his head back to the chair back and let his eyes drink in the stars.

"I saw Merle then, Governor was sayin that he let us in, betrayed them. I figured he'd be shittin in his boots but he looked more pissed than anything. I'd thought he was dead for so long, to see him there with that crazy son of a bitch. I don't know I guess I was hoping that Glenn and Maggie were wrong. Then the Governor told us to fight, that whoever killed the other would get to go free."

Carol gasped at this, whatever she'd been expecting to hear it wasn't this. She wanted to ask so many questions, demand to know even more details but she remained silent, giving Daryl the space he needed to work out his thoughts. He'd noticed her gasp though and halted in his words to turn his head so he could look at her again. Her hand on his wrist was like a tether, keeping him grounded in reality rather than get lost in the painful memories of those first few moments when Merle had eyed him up before lunging.

He found himself turning his hand and spreading it open palm up and watched as she took the impromptu invitation and slid her hand into his. He closed his hand then, locking her within his grasp so he could keep her warm comfort even closer as he finished his tale. "I thought he was actually going to go through with it, I thought he'd rather kill me than go against the Governor. He lunged and knocked me to the ground, gave me some believable punches too and a good kick to the gut. Guess all those years of learning how to take a hit proved fruitful because even though he wasn't hittin and kickin to the strength I knew he had, no one else would have been able to tell. That's how I knew something was up. He was fighting alright, but not me. It wasn't until I could get back to my feet that he moved to put his back to mine." He paused then, a shaking breath slowly expelling from him and even in the darkness Carol could see the sheen of moisture in his eyes.

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and brought her other up to rub at his arm, silently encouraging him to get the rest of it out even when by now she had a feeling of how it was going to end. He needed to talk though, she knew he couldn't keep all of this bottled up inside or it would kill him. She'd always thought that there was more to Merle than what he allowed to be shown, she'd known he would protect his brother at all cost, it was the one thing that had given her comfort while Daryl had been captured.

"They had walkers all around us; they keep them and use them in the arena for entertainment just like Michonne said earlier. Merle knocked over one of the barrels they had lit for light and it caused fire to spread around us. I guess between the smoke and flames the people holding the walkers let go and it just got real crazy real fast. I lost Merle in it all for a few moments until I saw the Governor. He had a gun drawn and was aiming right at me and I knew I was a goner. Out of nowhere Merle came from behind; I watched them struggle for a bit before the Governor got off a single round, thankfully it only got my shoulder. I heard Merle telling me to run and like a coward I did. I grabbed my bow and I got the hell out of there. I left my brother there Carol. I don't even know if he's alive or dead. The Governor could be torturing him right now and I just left him there." He shouted the last and broke from her hold as he stood up and paced wildly back and forth running a hand through his already mused hair.

For a moment Carol simply watched him, let him get the brunt of his aggression out before she'd slowly stand and move towards him. What could she say that could possibly ease his pain? That he'd done what his brother had wanted? That his brother's sacrifice was the best thing that Merle had ever done in his miserable life? Somehow she didn't think any of that would matter. Instead she moved behind him and waited for him to turn for his next pass only to come up short and run smack into her. Before he could shift her away in surprise she wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head against his heart. She held on as she felt his whole body because almost frighteningly still and his breathing became labored as he fought with his natural reactions to closeness.

When she was sure that he wouldn't push her away she loosened her hold enough to allow them both to be comfortable before she began to speak. "I'm so sorry Daryl. I'm so sorry you got your brother back only to lose him again. But what happened wasn't your fault and you can't go putting that kind of blame on yourself. Merle did exactly what he should have done, what you would have done had you been in his shoes. All the blame needs to go to the Governor's shoulders because that's where it belongs. He's the reason behind this whole mess." She whispered into his chest feeling his racing heart slowly begin to slow its rhythm though it was still too fast to be comfortable but he didn't shift her away yet and seemed to be listening so she continued.

"I aint goin to lie and say that I particularly liked your brother, he didn't exactly promote friendliness but I also know he weren't all bad either and he proved his worth when he saved you. And as selfish as this makes me…I'm so glad he did." She squeezed his middle for a moment, rubbing her cheek against his flannel covered chest. When she felt his arms slip around her, her eyes widened with surprise having not expected him to return the embrace. His arms barely held her at first, like he was afraid he was doing it wrong and would hurt her but eventually his own emotions began to get the better of him and soon those arms were tightening, drawing her in closer as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. She could feel the moisture gathering there against her flesh but she didn't make a single sound or move to give the knowledge away. Instead she smoothed her hand up and down his back carefully, knowing how touchy his was about his back but for now he seemed to need the comfort more so she gave it, freely.

"I…I couldn't imagine you not coming back." She whispered brokenly, this time finding her own tears as her fingers clenched into his flannel and breathed in the musky scent of her hunter. "You're…you're all I have now after Sofia…" Carol closed her eyes tight, prepared for him to scoff and ease her away at any moment for pushing the boundaries too far tonight but she wouldn't apologize. He'd needed comfort and surprisingly he'd allowed her to give it to him and in so doing she'd discovered she needed some too. "I'm sorry…I'm supposed to be trying to make you feel better, not the other way around." She tried to smile a bit and lean back but his hands on the small of her back kept her from going too far. Instead his fingers pressed into her flesh for a moment causing her to lift her head and tilt it to meet his gaze. She felt his hand rise away from her back and soon felt his roughened skin against her cheek making her eyes go wide with surprise.

"Your are making me feel better." He stated simply, his thumb stroking her cheek in an absent manner that she wasn't even sure he noticed he was doing. Carol found her eyes closing against her will, her head tilting into the first gentle caress she'd felt in more years than she cared to remember. She didn't want to open her eyes back up, didn't want to see the change come over his features when he realized just how close they were, how intimate they appeared. Carol wanted to pretend that the moment could last forever even if it was just for a few moments longer. When he didn't lower his hand nor stop the soothing strokes she found her eyes opening to meet his somewhat amused gaze. "You're like a little kitten, all soft and sweet and desperate for a gentle touch." He observed in a quiet whisper.

Carol blushed brightly, grateful for the cloak of darkness though somehow his little side grin told her he saw it anyway. Her lips though curved into a smile despite her embarrassment, "hmm, sorta the pot calling the kettle black now aint it?" she offered a tease, hoping to see a true smile form, desperate to see those clouds leave his gaze if even for a few moments.

Daryl rolled his eyes and chuckled briefly before he'd shake his head and gently brush aside a lock of her growing hair off of her forehead. "Nah, I'm a whole different breed altogether." He winked and his sudden confidence caused Carol to laugh softly in surprise. Her laughter seemed to do the trick because soon those dark clouds were pushed away from his beautiful gaze and his lips formed that smile she'd been so eager to see. "We suck at watch together." He suddenly said which caused Carol to laugh again as she eased herself out of his arms to allow them both their personal space back.

"Yea, Rick wouldn't be too pleased that's for sure." She giggled and turned to return to her seat only to feel his hand reach out to gently take hers once more halting her process. Turning with a confused expression she found herself blinking when he took a step towards her and entered her personal space once more. Before she could question she felt the weight of a blanket being draped over her shoulders before his hands came around to begin to tuck it and tie it closed so that it protected her from the night's cool wind.

"Need to keep ya warm." He stated simply as if that fully answered all the questions he could see forming in her eyes. He knew she was practically dancing with the need to ask him where all this physical attention was coming from but he just wasn't ready to give her the answers she needed right now. Hell he couldn't even form words to describe what all he'd been feeling since he'd left here to go find Maggie and Glen with the others, hell even before that when he'd found her in that damn closet. Instead he'd ease her back into her chair and tucked the blanket further around her legs while she watched on quietly. When he was satisfied he took a seat on the roof beside her instead of in the other chair.

"You should go get some sleep." He heard her whisper from above him and shook his head as he drew his knees up and let his hands rest on them. He heard her little sigh of frustration and smirked before he'd shift and with a deep breath he allowed his head to fall back to rest against her thigh. He felt her jump and had to force himself not to instantly move away. She was just as skittish as he was, just as used to a hurtful hand. Both of them had their scares to bear but they were healing and they were healing together because of one another. Even he wasn't dumb enough not to realize it. When he felt the trembling fingers stroke into his hair he allowed a low groan to escape, to let her know just how much that simple touch pleased him.

Despite his claim of not wanting sleep as she continued to slide her fingers through his hair, nails lightly skimming his scalp he couldn't fight the yawn that forced its way out making her smile as she gazed down at him. Carol didn't bother trying to get him to go find his bed again and though she knew that he'd be stiff as all get outs come morning, she was just selfish enough to want him to stay and be close to her especially if she was able to touch him as she was now. Carol watched as the tension slowly left his body and when she thought he was asleep she allowed her eyes to go back to the tree line to at least attempt to do her job.

"An jus so ya know…" he whispered suddenly, his voice already heavy and touched with the sleep that was so desperately trying to claim him, "Your alls I got too." And even before Carol could get past the surprise of his words, his snores cut off any reply leaving her to merely smile down at the dark head of the man who meant so much to her.


	6. The Sacrifice

Daryl awoke a couple hours later to the light sounds of whimpering coming from what sounded like above him. Frowning even before he opened his eyes, he momentarily forgot where he was and reached to punch his pillow to try and make it softer when it hit him where he was and with who. Easing himself up he winced briefly at the crick of his neck before turning to look at the sleeping woman whose face was contorted from her nightmares.

"She's been at it for awhile now." Axel stated from his left which caused the hunter to nearly jump out of his skin. Standing swiftly he narrowed his eyes at the conman wondering why he was even there. As if reading his thoughts the lanky man shifted and rolled a shoulder. "Came up for watch to relieve her, she didn't want to wake you so she just slept there where she was. Started murmuring your name and then someone named Sophia."

"Why didn't you wake her up then?" Daryl demanded with a low growl, blue eyes blazing with dislike towards the other man. He didn't like the fact that he'd been able to watch Carol while she slept; it was far too personal for his liking regardless if he'd been there or not. What if he'd taken it into his head to off him while he slept and hurt Carol? The mere thought sent fear racing down his spine.

"You told me if I touched her you'd cut me from throat to nads and regardless of how much I like the woman and don't like seeing her in pain, I like my innards where they are." Axel winced as if he could almost feel the knife cutting into him now just talking about it. Daryl would have smirked with a hint of pride if another whimper hadn't caught his attention and had him turning his back to the conman to kneel down in front of the sleeping woman.

At first he wasn't sure what to do, should he touch her? Would she wake up and start hitting at him? With her past and what all she'd been through there was no way to tell what exactly she was dreaming or how she'd react when she woke up. Another whimper and her daughter's name whispered so achingly had him ignoring his own nervousness and reaching out for her. His hand settled lightly on her thigh to help keep him balanced while the other lifted to hover over her cheek, hesitating for a moment before lowering it to cup Carol's face against his palm.

"Carol, wake up now. It's just a dream," he urged her gently, the pad of his thumb stroking over her cheek as it had last night and he tried to ignore the way the sensation of her soft skin under his touch twisted his stomach into painful knots, "Come on woman, aint got all day." He teased her gently as he watched her lashes flutter before those blue gray eyes of hers would finally open and focus. He could see the pain so fierce and open in those first few unguarded moments before she came fully awake and he felt a pain in his chest from the sight of her un-spilled tears that she tried to bravely blink back.

"Daryl…Sophia, she… she was in so much pain" she broke off on a sob and though Daryl was aware of the company behind him, his need to comfort Carol as she always tried to do him was for once just too strong to care. Reaching out he brought his other hand up to cup her face fully, his thumbs now doing the work of caressing as well as whipping away at her tears.

"She aint here no more Carol, she's in heaven away from all the pain and all the death." He wasn't even sure if he believed in a heaven or hell anymore or even if he ever did. But he had to believe that there was a special place for kids and good people like Sophia and Carol to go when this world finally did them in. He had to believe it otherwise there was no way he could deal with the guilt he carried with him every day.

"I Know…it was just…just so real." She sniffed and closed her eyes then to gather herself, taking in a deep breath before she'd slowly open them once more to drown in the concerned blue that was gazing up at her, those rough hands still holding and caressing her face so tenderly. She lifted her hand and hesitantly let it rest over his wrist as she offered him a small reassuring smile. "I'm alright now, thank you."

"Aint nothin." He said simply but his lips curved at the corner and Carol felt herself slowly relax. When she heard the sound of shifting feet behind him she gasped and remembered Axel, her cheeks blazing warmly under his hands as embarrassment for having been caught having a nightmare by an almost complete stranger overcame her. A low pained whimper left her as she prayed she hadn't said anything too humiliating.

She heard Axel's light laugh before his voice would fill the sudden silence. "Don't worry non Carol, couldn't even hear a thang over that man of yours loud snores." He promised her and even though she knew it was a lie she still smiled warmly toward him, grateful for his consideration.

"He's not my-"

"Hey I don't-"

But Axel merely shook his head and turned back to the tree line with a smirk playing on his features. "Yea, don't even bother. It's plain as day to me and everyone else. You two are the only ones you're foolin." He didn't even bother to wait on their exclamations. He'd spent all day yesterday with that redneck's eyes glued to him with the promise of pain and death hanging over him, he wasn't about to start off his second day doing the same.

"I had me a woman once ya know, before I got sent here. Her name was Lily Robinson, prettiest thing this side of the Mississippi." He sighed softly and shook his head. "I thought I had all the time in the world to make her mine, had the speech prepared and her pa's permission. Everything just how it should be except I didn't have a ring, at least not one fit for her. It's why I was working the job when we got busted, to get her that damn ring so everything would be perfect." There was a sadness that had entered his tone that clenched at Carol's heart.

Daryl had lowered his hands absently to rest on her knees without even thinking, he'd at first wanted to throttle the con but even he found himself caught by the story. He wanted to yell and tell him to shut his trap, none of this was their business but he just couldn't. Maybe knowing that Axel got it now that Carol was off limits was easing him a little towards the other man. He felt Carol's muscles bunch beneath his hands and he stood to let her up.

He watched as she made her way over to Axel and though he wished she didn't feel the need to be so touchy he understood that when she placed her hand on his shoulder it was to comfort the man just like she did him, as she did everyone. It was her way of connecting herself to the person in pain, to let them know they weren't alone. He couldn't count how many times her little touches or half smiles and little nods had soothed him, could he really complain that she wanted to offer that same kindness to someone else?

Axel looked down to the petite woman at his side and then to the hand on his arm before he turned to look out ahead of him once more. He wanted to tease about her getting him killed but mirth just wouldn't come to him right now so instead he sighed softly and shook his head. "She's dead now or walking around like one of them," he gave a nod towards the few walkers that lined the fence, "and I never even got to ask her. I'll never know if she would have said yes." He felt the familiar pain well in his chest but this time he felt the small squeeze of the little gal next to him, offering him comfort when she'd just spent the better part of the morning trapped in her own terror and pain.

"I'm sorry you didn't get to ask her Axel, but I'm pretty sure she would have said yes." She smiles softly then and for a moment Axel found himself lost in that smile, a smile that reminded him so much of his Lily. Her words made him give a little smile as he lifted his hand and gave hers a gentle pat and squeeze.

"I'd like to think so. Word of advice though, stop wastin time for the right moments, they don't-" before he would ever be able to finish his sentence a loud pop was heard before Carol felt the hot sticky spray of blood as a bullet found it's mark in the con's forehead. Carol had no time to scream before more bullets were sprayed at the prison, one coming so close she could feel the heat of it as it went past her head.

"Carol gets the fuck down!" Daryl's frantic shout spurred her into action and she dropped to the ground just as another wave of fire struck. Daryl was trying desperately to make his way over to her but every time he went to leave the cover of one of the vents bullets would force him back making him growl and cuss with frustration. He could only watch helplessly as bullets seemed to get closer and closer to her leaving his heart in his throat as fear pounded at his temples.

Carol could see the advance as well and with a wince she reached and tugged Axel's body up against her just in time for a bullet to shudder the corpse against her. She closed her eyes tight for a moment and prayed that Daryl would be okay, that no one else had been hurt. Her next thought was of Judith, praying Beth would remember what to do. Had they gone over the steps enough? Was Beth even okay to follow the plan? She could feel tears threatening to build but she forced them back as determination swiftly took fear's place.

As soon as there was another pause in the fire Carol pushed Axel's now mutilated body off of hers and made a dash for her rifle ignoring Daryl's shouts for her to stay down and stay put. She'd just grabbed the gun when she felt hard fingers close over her arm and her body being yanked back and tugged towards where Daryl had been hiding.

"-trying to get your damn head blown off?! Why can't you ever just stay where the hell I tell you to stay put!" he was still shouting at her but she didn't' care. As soon as they were safe behind the vent she dropped her rifle and threw her arms around him pulling him as close to her as possible. He was safe and alive and for right now that was enough. She'd put little thought into his reaction at being bombarded by her body but she hadn't had time to stop to care. Instead her fingers clenched into his flannel shirt as she buried herself into his chest breathing him in until he gently grabbed her by her upper arms and eased her back enough that he could check her over with his eyes, desperate to make sure she was alright.

"So much blood, you hit?" His voice held a rough quality that Carol couldn't ever remember hearing before and even though she shook her head know he still kept searching, poking and lifting and turning all he could to make sure that she was fine.

"It's all Axel's" she promised and when he still kept searching as if he had never heard her she reached out and grasped his face between her palms and forced his eyes to hers, "Daryl I'm fine, I promise." She felt his body shudder before she was pressed into his chest once more with his arms wrapped protectively around her.

"I'd tan your ass if I had time." He growled into her short hair and despite everything she felt a smile touch her lips. Only he could threaten her with bodily harm apparently. She didn't care; she wouldn't even put up a fight if he actually tried to follow through later. He was alive and that was all that was important.

Finally he forced her back and looked deeply into her eyes, searching for something she wasn't sure he'd find, before he'd nod and set her back. Bending he'd lift his crossbow and her rifle back up and held hers out for her. "Come on; let's see what the damage is down below." Daryl didn't trust her to stick with him so he grabbed her hand and tugged her after him only to be pulled up short when she dug in her heels.

"What about Axel?" she asked quietly and though Daryl wanted to growl in frustration at the fact she was worried about a dead body when they could be moving targets any moment, he instead simply shook his head and turned them back towards the door that would lead them to the safety of the prison walls.

"Aint like he's goin anywhere." He stated bluntly and she would have glared at him but instead she knew he was right. Axel wouldn't have to fear turning into a walker. He'd saved her, even in death and she could only pray that he was with his Lily for reward. Turning she focused on following Daryl and closing the door behind them just as a bullet struck the metal seconds after being closed.

Almost as soon the door closed out the rest of the world they could hear the wailing screams of one very angry little ass kicker. Carol couldn't help but smile, at least they knew that she was okay even if just a little scared. Rushing past Daryl she made her way down the metal stairs taking them two at a time with him close at her heels. As soon as they entered the chaos of the common area she saw Rick with his head bent near Glen and Michonne, all three looking up swiftly at the sound of their entrance. Beth gave a cry and came rushing in to Carol's blood soaked embrace and began to sob as she clung to the older woman who had become like a mother to her.

"We thought you all were dead!" she cried into her shoulder while Carol hugged her close and soothed her hand down the girl's bright blond curls. Maggie was the next to join the embrace, her arms encircling the other women as she too began to cry softly as the fear of losing any more of their family washed over all of them.

"Shhh, it's okay I'm fine. The blood's not mine." She smiled gently when the girls leaned back and finally took in the sight of her condition, fear immediately entering their eyes once again only to be soothed with her assurances. As the girls finally released her completely she'd lift a hand to caress both their cheeks before Carl would come forward with his screaming sibling in his arms.

"Hey there AK, what's all the noise about hmm?" she cooed down to the infant and gently eased her from the young boy's arms, immediately letting the natural sway and bounce take over that every woman seemed to be genetically encoded with to sooth a screaming baby. When Carl stayed before her Carol would tilt her head and watched as he struggled to find the right words reminding her more of Daryl in that moment than his father.

Smiling she'd shift Judith in one arm and gently wrapped the other around his shoulders and simply pulled him in for a much needed hug. At first she thought he might stiffen up and back away thinking himself too old to be coddled but instead he buried his face against her just as Beth had before and she knew he'd been far more frightened than any of the adults would have ever guessed at nearly loosing the two remaining adults that he'd come to know he could depend on.

"Where's Axel?" Rick suddenly asked breaking the silence of the moment. He was mighty grateful that the two of them were fine and whole but there was a firing squad outside their home and whether they had come to clean them out or just scare them, either way, he knew he couldn't let his guard down.

Daryl spoke up, coming from behind Carol and the kid to meet Rick's eyes. "He's dead. Bullet got him clean in the head with the first shot." He stopped and gave a nod towards Carol's direction before he'd continue, "Carol had to use his body to shield her from bullets. Saved her life." He added the last; somehow feeling that everyone should know what Axel had done, even if he'd been dead when he did it. It was the least he could do to the man after all the shit he'd given him.

Rick sighed and raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. He hated that the man was dead but more so because of the fact that left them one more man down rather than any true remorse about the loss of life. It was cold perhaps but it's what was needed to keep them all alive. "Alright, then that accounts for everybody." With the words there was the breath of relief, he wasn't sure he or any of the others could handle loosing someone close again, not this soon.

Suddenly Hershel came as quickly as he could from around the corner and called for Rick and the others. They all moved to the entrance of the cell block and met the older, breathless man who looked pale from the news he was about to share.

"They broke through one of the fences Rick and released walkers into the field." His words brought forth gasps from some and curses from others. Rick and Daryl were the first to spring into action racing each other up the stairs to open the cell block door to look at the damage that had been done.

"Damn it!" Rick bellowed and slammed his fist into a wall before he'd rest his head against the cool brick as helpless rage boiled within him. Why did every single thing he tried to do to keep these people safe end up making things worth? Now they were trapped in this prison with walkers at their backs and now walkers once more at their doors.

Daryl watched the numbers pour into the gaping fence, joining the ones that had been purposefully released into the field. He listened as Rick mumbled to himself, knew he was as pissed as he was but one of them had to keep a level head. Turning back his eyes scanned the others and only stopped when they came to the ones he'd been looking for.

No words were needed, he could see the concern evident in her pale orbs but there was that same determination that had been growing over the long winter months and as if she could read his thoughts the corner of her lips lifted just slightly before she'd give a silent nod. She was frightened but she had faith in him to figure it out and keep not only her safe, but the others as well. Daryl answered her with a quick nod of his own before he'd turn his attention back to Rick.

"Way I see it, aint nearly as many now as there was when we first came. We took care of them then, we can do it now. " He tried his hand at comforting the slightly broken man he'd come to think of as a brother, a hand lifting awkwardly before it was lowered to give his shoulder the briefest of pats before he'd frown and step forward out into the blinding day light.

"Daryl get back insi-"but before Rick could finish he saw what had drawn Daryl's attention. There, hanging on the fence was a metal stump with a large knife soaked in blood standing straight up and around its base was a scarf just as blood soaked, that had Michonne running forward as well, recognizing it to be Andrea's. While Michonne went to retrieve the items Daryl covered her taking out anything that came at her that her deadly katana didn't take care of. He was forcing his body not to react, to not give in to the dark thoughts swimming in his head that could cause his aim to be off.

He felt her then, joining at his side with her rifle, taking down a walker that lunged towards Michonne and then another shot rang out this time from his opposite as the others came out to join, Carl standing proudly at his side while Rick still lingered in the entrance way, watching as his people took out the walkers that the governor had thought would frighten them or slow them down. Obviously he didn't know much about Rick or his people or what they had been forced to become out there on the open road.

Warriors. Survivors. Fighters.

And if he'd thought that by placing those items there for them to find would make them cower and run; he was even more foolish than Rick thought. He'd just sent them all the incentive they needed to stay and fight, to end not only the Governor, but his demonic dream of Woodbury as well.


	7. Loyalty

Carol hesitantly made her feet take the stairs one at a time, her hand lingering on the railing, dragging against the cool metal as she prepared herself for whatever she would find up on that perch he'd made his. Carol used to be a praying woman and even now, instinctively she prayed for the strength she'd need to endure this moment. Upon reaching the top she closes her eyes seeing her worst thoughts come together in the form of Daryl Dixon packing his belongings.

"Don't try and talk me out of it." He warns in a gruff voice filled with a fear and pain that broke Carol's heart in two. She knew that pain, knew the anger that lurked beneath that could make the man before her more dangerous than a herd of walkers. It didn't surprise her that he assumed she was there to try and talk him out of his choice to go and search for Merle, nor would she deny that a huge part of her wanted to do just that.

"Wouldn't dream of it." She finally spoke back and moved to stand at his side and looked to the array of weapons that he had spread out on the table before him. Without a word she picked up the 9mm and began to load it for him. She could feel his gaze as he stared at her from the corner of his eyes, silently studying her as if waiting for her to say something along the lines of "…but."

When she still wouldn't speak Daryl finally grunted and turned his attention back to the gear he had decided he would need. Rick had already come from trying to talk him out of leaving, Glen had followed along with Maggie and it wasn't like he didn't understand what they were saying, it wasn't like he didn't know his place was with these people. "He's my brother." He said simply to the woman at his side, taking solace in knowledge that with her he didn't have to say any more. He didn't have to try and convince her why he was leaving.

"I know. I'm not telling you not to go Daryl." She responds quickly before shifting to turn to face him suddenly and for the first time he saw the desperation and fear that she'd been trying to hide from him, the same expressions as Maggie, Glen and Rick. His lips parted to try and halt whatever she was about to say but instead she reached out and grabbed hold of his arm tightly and squeezed until his eyes were forced to meet her intense grey blue eyes.

"I know you have to go, I don't blame you. I'm only sorry I can't do more to help you." She looks down through the curtain of her lashes and shakes her head as guilt washes through her, " you put your life on the line every day when you were looking for my little girl and now that you need me, I can't do anything at all to help." She frowns deeply and closes her eyes as she struggles to gather her thoughts back to her and put the emotion aside but his gruff voice pulled her eyes to his and she heard the genuine emotion thick in his voice.

"You would look for him wouldn't you?" He asks, his head tilting as he studies her once more and then after what felt like an eternity to Carol he would slowly smirk and shake his head as he turns his eyes back to the gun array and slips another into the duffle bag. "Your helping, you aint given me no grief about it. 'Sides, you aint got nothing to feel beholden over. I looked for Sophia cause it was the right thing to do. She was worth dying for. As much as I love my brother he aint worth no one else dying over, none of ya'll anyway."

Carol narrowed her eyes then and turned swiftly back to face the guns and after handing him the now loaded 9mm she reached for the .22. "I am, and I always will be. You've saved me more times than I care to think and have looked out for me and the rest of this group. No one else might say it out loud Daryl but we know we wouldn't have survived the winter if it weren't for you. We owe you a hell of a lot more than simply not getting in your way right now."

"So what you so freaked out about then?" he questioned not bothering to argue with her on her insistent need to feel like she owed him something. If anything, he owed her a hell of a lot more than she owed him but he wasn't about to say those words out loud and without them it was pointless to argue the fact. Still he wasn't going to ignore what he'd seen in her gaze and even though he wasn't exactly a model for communication she was right about one thing, they were friends and if something was bothering her he wanted to know so he could kick its ass or nip it in the bud.

Carol frowns once more before she'd shift to turn to face him again and worries her bottom lip briefly between her teeth in an unconscious nervous gesture from her past before she'd square up her shoulders and forced herself to simply just say it. "He aint worth your life either. I know you don't believe me and I'm not even trying to convince you too, you're his brother, I get that but that doesn't mean you have to die and you better not Daryl Dixon or I swear I'll do something rather nasty to your corpse." She glares and then boldly reaches out and pokes him in the chest as she rushes on, with what air she had left. "And you better come back okay? Cause we need you and if you don't come back I may never forgive you and I…"

Whatever she was going to say was cut off by as gasp as she felt herself being pulled into his chest, her cheek pressed to his heart as he held her stiffly at first, almost as if he were just as shocked by the action as she was. Slowly she'd feel his chin come down to rest against the top of her head and as the silk strands stuck in the coarse short hairs she found herself slowly relaxing against him but not before she felt the tears she'd been fighting back for the last hour slowly slide down her cheek to dampen his shirt.

"Aint nothin can kill a Dixon-"

"Except a Dixon." She finished with a smile and sniff as she took such comfort from such silly words. She knew that he wasn't immune to the danger of their world no matter how much he might like to think he was, but still she couldn't help but believe him too. It was a strange sensation, to know they were both being foolish in the thought but both had such need to cling to it.

"Yup, so quit all this frettin about me dyin and shit. I'm goin out there, findin my pain in the ass brother and then I'm comin back. Figure everything else out after that." Daryl heard her second little sniff and sighed rolling his eyes heavenward before he'd lean back a bit to grasp her chin and lift her eyes up to his, staring into those endless pools before he'd narrow his eyes sternly . "Now stop that. Thought we agreed all this cryin shit had to go."

"Yea, well…chalk it up to an emotionally hard day." She gave a little smile as she reaches up with one hand and wipes at her cheeks as his arms lower to his side and though she knew he would typically take a step back from her she was grateful he remained close. She needed him so desperately right now, a couple more inches away and she felt as if she just might shatter. How in the hell she was going to watch him walk off she didn't know.

Daryl winced at being reminded of Axel and the thought of what she'd had to do to survive, how close he'd come to losing her. It made his hands tremor just thinking about it and he realized he hadn't even asked her if she were alright. He'd seen his brother's stump and his mind had been so focused on Merle and finding him that he'd actually forgotten about the attack.

"You need anything?" he asked awkwardly, not even sure he would be able to provide if she requested something but the need to offer, to show her that he was there and cared in what way he could was important to him. It was his job; lord knew the woman looked after him enough.

"Nah, just come home safe and that's all I could possibly need." She offers him a smile then and he relaxed to see it echo in her eyes. He can still see the fear there but at least it wasn't as stark as it had been when she'd made her way up those steps. Daryl chuckled and shook his head before turning back to the table and gave a roll of his good shoulder.

"It aint much of a home, more like a tomb." He spoke almost beneath his breath, not sure why he even said it to begin with, knowing she'd have some positive bullshit to argue with that would make him feel half irritated and half chastised. Instead he'd blink and look to her from the corner of his eye as he lifted the .22 she'd discarded before she'd hugged him and lifted it up to check its sight as her words came to him, positive and morbid all in one making him smirk against his will.

"Yea, but it's our home, besides…isn't the world just one big tomb anymore anyway?" Carol laughed at the smirk she caught on his lips, glad that they could at least share a more relaxed moment together before he left, she didn't want to end it heavy…just encase. She shook her head as if to dispel even the thought. Silence soon descended on them but neither of them was bothered by the quiet, having mastered the art of silent conversation months ago.

Every now and again one would look up and catch the other's eyes on them only to watch them quickly shift away. It happened a total of three times before finally both gave a light laugh and Carol used her elbow to nudge him playfully, happy beyond belief when he returned the gesture with no hesitation. To the others he was better than he'd been when he'd first joined the group in Atlanta with his brother, but Carol knew just how far he'd come from the frightened feral man she'd met. That man would never have let her so close.

"Have you said goodbye to Judith?" she asked curiously as he took the last bit of ammo from her hands and tossed it into the bag before zipping it up with a loud sigh. Daryl smiled briefly and gave a nod as he lifted the bag and turned to place it near his bow.

"Yea, kids a freak. I swear she was glaring at me too." He had an almost pout in his tone and it made Carol's heart squeeze in her breast while a smile dances on her lips. For such a hard man, he was also so very tender and sensitive when it came to that little girl. She'd playfully accused him of being wrapped, but truth was…it was even worse.

Laughing softly she leaned against the table and crossed her arms beneath her breasts, settling in for a moment since he seemed to have no desire to leave the perch just yet. "Don't worry she's not mad, just worried, consider it her own 'don't come back and I'll hurt you' speech." She teased, her pale orbs sparkling with delight, pretty sure that she was right. Even though the little girl was just a baby, it was obvious to anyone that she loved no one the way she loved Daryl. Carol understood, after all she was the same.

Daryl gave a grunt and roll of his eyes before he'd silently take in the woman before him. Earlier Rick had asked him about Carol, how he could just leave her and how she needed him. It had made Daryl almost break, lord knew he'd been thinking along the same lines but his resolve had solidified when he thought of all she'd suffered and all she'd overcome. Who the hell were they to think that she was weaker, that she needed him. Course if you asked the woman she'd say it was true but he knew better. She was a survivor, even if he didn't come back she'd make it and she'd survive if for nothing else than for the children. Carol didn't need him, he was the one that needed her and it was killing him to leave her behind, no matter how determined he was to return to her.

"You alright?" Carol asked with a hint of concern as Daryl simply stared at her as if taking everything there was about her in. It took every ounce of will power she had not to squirm but she couldn't help but raise a hand to her hair to twist a short lock around her finger before she smoothed it back. "What?" she asked again when he still said nothing to her. A frown started to form but then he was stepping forward slowly as if approaching a wounded animal. She drew her brows in confusion for a moment but then he was standing right there before her, so close she was sure that if she took a deep breath she would feel his chest against hers.

Daryl watched as she blinked owlishly up at him and he would have smirked if he wasn't so damn nervous. He didn't know what had put the thought in his head but as soon as it had he'd found himself stepping up to her and now he raised a shaky hand and lightly flicked at the short curl she'd twisted just a few seconds before. "You keep yourself and the kid's safe while I'm gone yea? Carl aint sneakin off no more but he's still hot headed and he aint likin his daddy much right now. If the Gov'ner shows up and it starts to look bad I want you to promise you'll get you and AK out of here, no foolin around, no tryin to be a hero. You grab her and you get the hell out of here to somewhere safe."

Carol smiles softly and reaches up to rest her hand on his wrist, offering it a reassuring squeeze. "We have an evac plan Daryl, it'll be ok." But even before she'd finished her statement Daryl was shaking his head and moving his hand to the back of her neck to give it a determined squeeze making her eyes grow wide.

"I don't give a shit, I know the plan. You're supposed to stay and fight till Rick gives the signal to run, I'm tellin you right now you don't wait for him. If you start to see things go bad you get to her and you guys get out. I don't give a shit if ya have to leave the rest of the group or not." Even as he said it he winced, hating that he could dismiss the others so easily but as much as he'd grown to love them…they didn't compare, not even the tiniest bit, not to this woman and that little girl.

Carol felt the need to argue to try and explain that she could just never turn her back and run from their family but she realized that that was exactly what she would do if she felt it was hopeless; she would keep Judith safe where she couldn't Sofia. Besides, her hunter needed to know she'd be safe even if he wasn't around to make sure. She wouldn't take that away from him, especially if God forbid… he didn't make it back.

"What if something happens while you're gone and we do have to leave, how will…"she was paused in her new fear when she felt his hand squeeze her neck once more, drawing her attention back to his determined and fierce gaze.

"I'll find you." It was a simple and arrogant statement but Carol believed him. She believed him with every fiber of her being. It didn't matter how far she was forced to go, she knew that he'd come for her and Judith, he would find them at the ends of the earth and bitch about making him go so far. Smiling at her thoughts and at him she slides her hand slowly higher to cup his cheek in her warm palm, letting her thumb graze across his jaw line in slow movements not wanting to startle him away.

"I believe you." She whispers her complete faith to him and it was as if it sparked something, in the both of them. She wasn't sure which one reached for the other first or how it honestly even happened but she would never forget the first shocking feel of his lips against hers. They were rough and hard but almost shy in how hesitant they pressed against hers. Moaning softly she moved her hand to tangle in his shaggy hair, lifting up to press herself as close to him as she could while one of his arms moves to wrap around her waist to urge her even closer as he savored the feel of her against him.

Carol would brush her lips against his slowly, letting their flesh rub against each other creating that wonderful friction that caused her skin to tingle and her cheeks to grow flushed. At first his movements were stiff and awkward and it struck her that he'd probably never kissed before or if he had it had been so long ago and in the bloom of youth that he hadn't gained the skills one would expect in a man his age.

She also knew that he was a quick learner because it didn't take him long to figure out the tempo she enjoyed or the way to press and caress without bruising. Soon her brain was fogging over and she could focus on nothing but the taste of him and in the glory of the moment that Daryl Dixon was actually kissing her. She could have kissed him forever if she had been allowed but all too soon Daryl was drawing his lips away from hers and settling his forehead against hers as his panting breaths bathed her damp lips and made her shiver. She knew he was leaving, she could feel him growing tense against her, could feel the door closing to her so he could shut off his emotions and be able to do what needed to be done.

There were no sweet flowery words, no promises of love nothing that most women could even grab and hold onto but Carol knew everything she needed to know about his feelings for her even as he turned swiftly breaking their hold on one another. Without another word or even a glance he grabbed his duffle bag and gear and made his way down from the perch leaving her to fall back against the table, her hips bumping hard into the metal before she'd close her eyes and lift a hand to her trembling lips.


	8. The Rescue

Daryl crouched down swiftly with the tree at his back and went completely still at the sound of a twig breaking to his right a few feet away. His bow locked and loaded he prepared himself to send it into the skull of whatever was about to come out of the bushes only to end up lowering his bow as he watched two walkers stumble from the dense shadows of the woods around him a head in the same direction as the others had been going before he'd put them down.

Frowning he looked in the direction they were heading only to look back swiftly as two more joined the others in their slow stumbling procession. If he wasn't careful he'd find himself in the middle of a herd if things kept going like this but he knew that to take out any of them now he'd find them turning to him instead of whatever was calling to them now and as much as he loved putting these sons of bitches out of their misery he was far more curious as to where they were going and why.

He'd been away from the prison for almost three days and his supplies were running slim but he wasn't worried, the woods would provide if he needed to push on. He'd made his way back to Woodbury on the first day and had wasted another following one trail to a dead end. He'd been forced to track his way back from the pits and had started on the trail he was on now that morning. He knew they had taken Merle out of the town, they would be idiots to leave him there and make themselves a target once again, after all their first hostage situation hadn't ended so well in their favor.

Once the four walkers had moved further up their path he slowly crept from his spot and began to follow at a safe distance downwind of them and though it wasn't too pleasant on his nose, it kept them from using theirs to find him so he didn't mind so much. He wasn't sure how long they'd been on the move but he figured half an hour had passed before he started hearing more sounds coming from up ahead. His brows drawing together he made his way to the shadow of another tree that remained in the shadow of the woods while the walkers stumbled out into a clearing and made their way towards a small group of others that were clawing and growling at the side of cliff.

"Come on ya yella belly bastard! Come an getcha some of ol Merle like your buddies tried!"

Daryl felt his entire body lock still at that voice and even though it was obvious that Merle was in some sort of bind, he couldn't help but take the moment to lean the back of his head against the tree and close his eyes as relief washed over him. His brother was alive, he didn't know how or in what condition he was in but he was alive. For Daryl that was more than enough. Forcing his tired and sore body up off the ground and away from the tree he circled his way a little to the left to be able to come to the very edge of the woods with a clearer shot on what the hell was going on.

When he reached the very edge he lowered himself down once more and stared with surprise at the sight of his brother kicking the head of one walker who had managed to climb up the embankment and reached the little ledge that his bleeding and obviously pissed brother was stranded on. On the ground beneath Merle's ledge were the bodies of about four walkers who had apparently managed the same only to end up with their skulls stomped in.

"Yea how ya like the taste of ma boot you ugly sombitch?" Merle shouted as he gave one last stomp that sent the walker flying back, losing his precarious hold in the dirt and fell back landing with a sickening thud as his head broke apart on a rock. "That's what I thought! Whose next huh? Who wants ta rumble with ol Merle!"

Daryl shook his head and held back his growl in frustration. If Merle wouldn't make so much racket than he wouldn't be drawing all the walkers within a mile radius to his location, it was bad enough the wind was taking the scent of his blood through the woods too. He had to get his brother's attention without drawing the walker's attention to his own location. Reaching into his bag he pulled out the piece of mirror he'd packed from the prison and lifted it up so it could catch the light of the sun. He began to flick it back and forth, catching the light only to lose it then catch it again in a pattern that his brother would recognize easily.

It didn't take long for the bright light to catch Merle's attention and when he lifted his remaining hand to shade his eyes a grin split his face as he saw his little brother there in the high grass. It was about fucking time he showed up as far as Merle was concerned. He knew his place on that ledge wouldn't last much longer, especially if more than one made their way up. He'd been lucky so far but it appeared that his luck would hold just a little bit longer.

"Well Hey there little brother, bout damn time you joined the party!" Merle shouted to him but didn't make any motions toward him afraid that it would somehow give these biters an idea of where Daryl was. "What the hell took you so long?" Merle shouted and then narrowed his eyes when he saw him lift a hand to place it against his lips in a silent motion for him to shut up. "Whatever you say baby brother just hurry the fuck up I'm tired of standing around all day!" He growled and looked to the three foot radius of space that he had to maneuver on.

When Merle glanced back Daryl was already gone as if he'd never even been there and for a moment Merle found himself questioning if he really had been. It wouldn't be the first time he'd seen shit due to blood loss and even though he didn't have any drugs flowing through his system anymore he could still feel that little voice of doubt whispering to him. Sometimes he wondered if this was just all one big fucking trip, but he knew that there wasn't going to be any waking up from this nightmare.

When he saw one skin and bone hand reach over the edge of the ledge he snarled and stomped with all his remaining strength and gave a rather breathless laugh as she lost her balance and fell back to the ground. "Nice try ya ugly bitch! Hope you had a nice landing princess!" he chuckled again and rests his back against the dirt wondering what plan his brother would come up with. It was obvious that he wasn't planning on taking the biters out beneath him any time soon so he kept his eyes planted on that ledge waiting for the next evil dead to try and claim him.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been there, waiting and watching for any sign of his brother when a thick rope landed on his head startling the shit out of him. "Damn it Darlene what the hell is this shit?" he yelled up in the direction the rope had come from yet when he picked it up he realized it wasn't a rope at all. Flexible tree limbs and vines had been rolled and braided together to form a rope and when he gave it a testing tug he found it was anchored to something solid at least. "How the hell am I supposed to hold on to this and climb with one hand dumbass!?"

Daryl growled and rolled his eyes wishing his brother would keep his damn voice down. In a much lower tone but one he knew Merle could hear he gave his instructions. "I know that, I aint stupid. Wrap it around your torso and I'll pull you up."

"Yea right Darlene aint no way in hell you can pull up ol Merle with a shot arm." When silence followed Merle smirked. "Yea I thought so. Where's deputy friendly, aint he worried about poor ol Merle too?"

"Shut up Merle and just do as I say!" Daryl shouted then cursed himself for losing his temper and drawing more attention their way. Bracing his foot on the tree he waited while there was movement on the rope letting him know that Merle was at least doing what he'd wanted.

"Alright alright, sheesh, you'd think you were the one down here being biter bait." Merle grumbled as he tied the end tight around his torso and when he knew it wouldn't slip further than under his arms he gave a firm tug. "Well what ya waitin for? Don't drop me now, I aint survived up here this long to have you go mess it up now."

Daryl counted to ten and asked himself why he was even here and hadn't let Merle rot like everyone had wanted him too. Everyone except Carol, she'd known why he had to go and she was waitin on him. He kept that in his head as he used the pull system to begin to painful process of pulling his brother to safety. Hand over hand he pulled on the rope he'd fashioned with every bit of strength he had, his shoulder was throbbing and screaming in pain and he could feel his stitches pull dangerously close to open.

The only thing that made it a bit better was hearing the grunts and curses coming from his brother as his own injuries were bounced painfully against the dirt. When he finally saw that remaining hand come over the edge and dig into the dirt for purchase he gave a thankful sigh and tied the rope off so it wouldn't slack before he made his way over to help his brother up physically.

As soon as Merle boots were on the right side of the edge he fell back on the ground and held his hand over his shoulder groaning in pain. "What the hell took so long?" he growled, pretty sure his baby bro had taken a little longer on the up pull than it should have taken.

"You aint the only one hurt asshole, you're lucky I came back for ya at all." Daryl narrowed his eyes and forced his exhausted body to rise from the ground and instead of offering Merle a hand he walked over to the edge and looked over to make sure that there was no walker following them up. They were trying, he'd give them that. Turning he strode over to the tree he'd used and bent to bring up the bag of squirrel carcass's he'd killed on his way up, turning he strode towards the ledge once more and tossed it over, watching as the walkers eagerly went for the smell of fresh blood.

"Whatcha do that for! We could of used um for food!" Merle shouted as he forced himself up and turned his narrowed eyes towards his brother as he made his way past and went back to the duffle bag by the tree.

"We'll get more it will keep them busy for awhile, long enough for us to head back and get around them. Here thought you might want this back." Daryl turned and tossed Merle's metal stump towards him. He'd figured that Merle might be a little better to deal with if he could make him as happy as possible, the last thing he wanted was to deal with Merle bitchin and complainin the entire hike home.

"Well hello there beautiful, didn't think I'd be seeing you again." Merle grinned like a fool and raised the metal to his lips to kiss it before he began the process of strapping it on his arm. He kept an eye on Daryl from the corner of his vision while the younger man picked up his bow and began to walk their little perimeter while he waited on Merle to get his shit together. "You itchin to be goin somewhere little brother, biters are down yonder."

"They are, don't mean there aint plenty of um up here. Better safe than sorry, besides the blood will start drawing them sooner or later, best be getting a move on." He added the last when he saw Merle stand and make his way over. Bending he tossed his duffle over his back, wincing as the strap dug into his shoulder but forced the pain to be forgotten like he'd done the last three days. The thought of the prison just a day away nearly had him groaning. He didn't care how tired Merle was they weren't stopping, not till they were safe behind those gates.

"An go where? Aint exactly been playin nice with the gov'ner since ya last saw me, don't think he'd want me back and I'm pretty damn sure your new little buddies aint gonna want me around neither. So what's the plan now Darlene?" Merle followed him into the cover of the woods, watching his little brother follow the tracks he'd made back down off of what should have been his tomb.

"Aint goin to Woodbury unless it's to burn that shit to the ground, I'm going back to the prison. You can either come with or go on your own." Daryl stated simply over his shoulder with a shrug of his good arm. He wanted Merle to go back with him, he wanted his brother at his side like it should have been since the beginning but Carol was right. As much as he felt loyalty and love for his brother it was also time for him to start being his own man, with the family that actually gave a shit about him.

"I can't go back there! Not after what I did to the pretty girl and the china-man!" Merle shouted as he quickly tried to catch up with his brother to try and talk some sense into him.

"He's Korean!" Daryl finally vented some of the anger he'd been feeling since he'd first seen Glen's face after Woodbury.

"Whatever!" Merle lamely came back, not sure why they were even arguing over such a stupid fact. "Either way I can't come with ya." He reached out and tried to grab a hold of Daryl but grabbed his shirt instead.

Daryl twisted around angrily, catching Merle off guard by the heat and fury he saw in his little brother's eyes. "What's so new about that?! I aint runnin around these woods with no direction or cover just so you don't have to face your mistakes. I'm tired of cleanin up after you so go on an go then! What the hell you waitin on?!"

Merle could do nothing but blink for a moment before his eyes narrowed into deadly slits. Soon the two brothers found themselves in a bit of tug of war over which direction Daryl would be heading when he finally jerked himself free of his brothers hold but not before he felt the rip of his shirt before he fell to his knees, his exposed back facing his brother for the first time.

Merle staggered back at the sickening sight of lines that layered his brother's back. "I…I didn't…I didn't know." He stumbled over his words as his eyes grazed over every scar, every horrible memory that his brother bore, physically and mentally.

"Yes you did, it's why ya left." Daryl spit back as he picked himself up off the ground and slung his duffle back over his shoulder before turning to glare at his brother.

"I… I had too. If I didn't I'd have killed him." Merle shook his head as if trying to clear the image of what he'd seen from his mind but every time he blinked it was there. "I'm sorry Daryl…where ya goin?" he called out as Daryl turned and started back on the path he'd started.

"Back home."

"You know I can't go with you." Merle stated again and this time Daryl would turn more slowly, a hand resting on a tree as his pain filled eyes focused on Merle with enough intensity to make Merle want to look away.

"You know I may be the one walking away, but you're the one leaving… again." And with that he turned and made his way between the trees and shadows of the forest leaving Merle to stand there alone in the world for perhaps the first time fully experiencing what he'd forced Daryl to feel for years.

"Damn it!" he shouted before running to catch up.


	9. The Bet

Carol smiled down at the precious little girl who lay on the blanket taking in the sights and smells all around her. Her little legs were kicking happily as she sucked on her plump fist, leaving it to glisten in the noon day sun. Carol had taken the little girl to the field to try and put both of them in a better frame of mind. Judith may not have been able to speak but she knew there was something wrong and Carol was even pretty sure that she understood what. It wasn't like she couldn't be missing their hot headed hunter too, after all he went and spent some alone time with her every night with the only exception being when he was hunting.

Judith had started to get fussy yesterday and though most thought she might be teething Carol knew better. She could feel the tension building in her as well. Too many days and nights had passed since Daryl had left to find his brother and as much as she'd clung to his vow of coming back, it was getting harder and harder to push the worry away. "He'll be back Judith, just you wait and see and when he gets back we'll make sure he doesn't do anything so foolish again. We'll tie him up, that should hold him long enough till we think of something else huh?" Carol spoke soft and light to the child, a smile curving her lips at just the thought. Daryl would lose his shit if she ever even contemplated tying him up and maybe picturing his face was what was causing the amusement to lighten her pale orbs, or maybe it was the little gleam she saw in the infants eyes that caused it. "That's my girl." She bent and kissed her on the forehead happily.

"I'm really starting to think that she is I hardly even get to see her anymore." Rick's voice from behind her startled Carol and had her gasping even as her hand instinctively went to the knife she had near her. She hadn't heard his approach and it bothered her that she'd allowed her thoughts to not just put her own life at risk but more importantly Judith's as well. Rick seemed to notice her agitation and smirked as he came to take a seat on the blanket beside her, his dark brown hair looking a little shaggier than she'd seen it in awhile. "You know, Daryl aint the only one that knows how to move quietly." Rick chuckled and a ran a hand through his hair before moving to rest one arm on his bent leg while the other reached out and tickled his daughters belly.

"Yea well, he's the only one to ever boast about it." She teased him playfully then drew her eyes down away from her friend and back to the child that now had both adult's attention. "As for this little one, I'm very sure she'd love to be able to sleep beside her daddy at night, but for that to happen her daddy would actually have to lay down, isn't that right honeychild?"

Rick chuckled and gave a knowing nod of his head. "Yea, yea I know. We've had this dance before you and me." Rick smiled and watched as his daughter drew his larger hand up towards her mouth where she could num on his finger with her spongy gums. For once he was grateful he'd taken the time to actually wash his hands first after coming off shift watch.

"And yet I still see no change, seems like we might just be eternal dance partners." Carol laughed softly and allowed her eyes to take in Rick's haggard features. Exhaustion rolled off of him in waves and she wished they had the medicine to spare, cause if they did she would have drugged his ass a long time ago with Hershel's approval. "You really need to try and get some sleep Rick…you still dreaming about her?" Carol asked softly, careful of the pain she knew the topic would bring up.

Michonne had been the first to let on what was really happening in that manic mind of their leader and it hadn't taken Carol long to put together all the pieces. She wished he would have come to talk to her sooner but she knew a thing or two about male pride. Always so determined to face the world alone regardless of how many helping hands there were. She'd approached him about it that first night that Daryl had been gone on his search, needing a distraction from the fear that had overwhelmed as soon as he'd left the prison grounds. Of course Rick had at first refused to speak to her, claiming it was nothing but Carol had merely sat there and remained silent as he paced in front of the table until finally he sat himself down and began to spill everything.

"I wish it were only in my sleep, but thankfully no, I haven't seen her in awhile." Rick finally responded and shook his head turning his eyes towards the tree line beyond the fence where he'd last seen her. He knew that he should feel nothing but relief at having a little bit of his mind left, but he couldn't help but miss her too. Not seeing her made her death all the more real and every time he thought about it, it made the pain all the worse.

"That's a good thing Rick, even if it does hurt." Carol spoke softly and reached out to rest her hand on his free arm while the other remained against his knee though the fingers wiggled occasionally as if no longer used to remaining absolutely still. "I swear I can still smell Sophia every now and again, and I turn expecting to see her right there beside me. It hurts, to see them not there, but we can't keep looking, we gotta let them go."

"I know, believe me I know, I just wish…" he paused and rubbed that moving hand down his face with more exhaustion than a soul had the right to have. "I wish that I just knew what she wanted. It always feels like she's trying to get me to realize something or do something. What if it wasn't just my imagination Carol? What if her spirit is trapped here and she's suffering even now because of me."

Carol shook her head and reached out taking Rick's chin between her thumb and finger to guide his pained gaze back towards her. "Now you stop that Rick Grimes, you didn't make Lori suffer. Sure you two had your issues and at the end it wasn't the best but she was suffering from guilt, guilt caused by her own actions. You gotta stop blaming yourself just like I couldn't keep blaming myself for Sophia." Carol lowered her hand and squeezed his shoulder warmly. "And it sure aint your job to go fixing the afterworld's problems either, you got enough on your plate right now. Like…" she grinned and picked up Judith carefully from the blanket only to hold her out towards her father, "holding your daughter."

Rick chuckled and shook his head but he still reached out for the squirming bundle. He couldn't believe how big she already was and just how much she reminded him of her mother. From the shape and color of her eyes the tip of her little nose, she was all Lori. He knew one day people would start looking for signs to know who her real father was, but he didn't give a damn. Whether she was his by blood or his best friends she was still his. It had taken a lot to be able to look at her and not wonder, not question but in this day and time, shit like dna didn't matter. She was his and he was determined that he wouldn't fail her like he'd failed her mother and older brother.

"You're thinking too hard." Carol smiled as she watched him bring Judith up to his chest to hold her in the crook of his arm where he could look down into her sweet smiling face while one of her small hands hit him lightly in the face.

"Yea, yea, enough bout me anyway, how you holdin up?" Rick watched as her face fell and he almost regretted bringing up Daryl but he needed to know. Daryl and Carol had become so much more to him than just friends, hell even best friends. They were his family, his brother and sister and he hated knowing that one or both were suffering. He wished he could have talked Daryl out of leaving, hell everyone knew that Daryl was better off without Merle anyway but Daryl had been determined and there was little that he could do besides locking the younger man in a cell. He would rather face a herd of walkers than even attempt that type of suicide.

"I'm fine. I aint going to lie, every day I grow more and more worried he won't be coming back, that something happened but… I can't help but just know that I would know if he were gone, and I believe him enough to know that so long as he's alive he'll be back. Just gotta be patient, I'm discovering it's apparently one of my few virtue's when it comes to that man." Carol laughed a little but Rick could hear the strain in the sound.

"Your full of virtue Carol, you're a little bit of heaven in this god forsaken world." And Rick meant his words honestly. When the rest of them began to lose some of their humanity, when this world began to tear them apart and down, there was Carol with her warm smiles and sparkling eyes, easing all their hurt and filling them with the courage they needed to move on. It still filled him with shame that he'd ever once carried the notion that she didn't make that big of a difference. He'd assumed her the victim and he'd never been so happy to be so damn wrong.

Carol couldn't stop the blush from heating her face, a little embarrassed by her friend's words even if they also caused pleasure to bloom in her chest. She never wanted to believe that her place was ever above what it really was, but it was such a strange wonderful sensation to know that she was needed. No one had ever made her feel that way besides Sophia and now she had so many, she couldn't help but feel so blessed in such a time of hell. "Thanks Rick."

"No need to thank me for the truth, we'd be just as lost without you as we would without Daryl. Don't ever for a moment doubt your worth to this family again." Rick meant every word, he didn't ever want to see this loving special woman ever doubt herself, not after all that she had ever done for them. "So, any idea what the hell we're gonna do if that crazy redneck brings back his brother?" Rick asked with a tired sigh knowing that there were far more people that wanted to see the man dead in their camp than there even was in Woodbury.

"I don't, and I don't think any of us will till they get here and see what type of attitude Merle has." Carol winced almost as soon as she finished forming the last word. "Never mind, guess we all know what his attitude will be. Merle Dixon only has one attitude and it definitely aint a nice one." Carol huffed and shook her head, at just as much of a loss as to what to do with the foul tempered Dixon as Rick was. "All I know is we can't kill him or turn him away. We can't risk losing Daryl, Glen and Maggie will just have to deal with it." And Carol meant every word. She loved Glen and Maggie but as much as she could understand their situation, she loved their Redneck more and wasn't willing to lose him for nothing and no one.

"Easier said than done I'm afraid," Rick said with a soft sigh. Looking down he noticed the little girl was fast asleep pressed against his chest and he couldn't help but smile. "I guess someone was ready for a nap."

Carol tried to hide a rather large yawn herself but failed miserably causing Rick to chuckle and her own cheeks to become pink. When it was finally over she laughed and shook her head, "apparently she isn't the only one. I really should get back in, supper won't fix itself." With that she began to rise and dust the grass off her pants. She almost wondered what it would feel like to actually wear truly clean clothes again but then didn't waste the time or effort that track of thinking would take.

Rick began to rise himself, careful of the precious burden in his arms when his eyes took in the sight of two figures coming out of the woods. "Well I'll be damned. Speak and the devil appears." Despite his words he couldn't help but smile, mighty damn grateful to see the two of them, even if one happened to be the very devil he spoke of.

Carol turned her eyes swiftly to where Rick was looking and when she saw Daryl striding tiredly but doggedly towards her she bit back a small cry, knowing he wouldn't want her to make a big scene but it was so damn hard to stay still.

Rick noticed the way her body jolted forward only to lock immediately in place and he shook his head at the two of them. This was getting old, watching them do this dance all the damn time and even though he knew it was none of his business he still couldn't stop himself from poking his nose where it didn't belong. "Just run to him Carol. Sure it might catch him off guard but so what, he will get over it I promise you. A man needs to know…"he didn't even have time to finish his thought before she was flying past him.

Daryl blinked as Carol began to make a straight line towards him and he couldn't help but look over his shoulder afraid some Walker had snuck up behind him and she was trying to warn him. Merle must have taken notice of the action because his chuckle came from his left.

"Incoming little brother." It was the only warning he got before he'd turn his head back around just in time to feel her body crash into his with her arms tossed around his neck, clinging to him as if she might never let him go. He tensed beneath her, unable to help it and expected her to let go as soon as she felt it but this time she didn't. If anything her arms hugged tighter and he was finally left with little else to do but wrap his arms around her waist and draw her close.

The instant he allowed himself to relax just enough he was overwhelmed by the smell of her fresh scent, the feel of her warm small body against his and before he even knew what he was doing he was burying his nose into her neck and inhaling her deep into his system. Daryl knew that Merle was right there watching with that annoying smirk on his face and he knew he'd catch shit about it later but at the moment he just didn't care, even the pain in his shoulder didn't bother him no more, not so long as Carol was near.

"I knew you'd be back." She whispered, her small fingers clenching into his hair as she tried to gather her emotions and force her way back from the man before she embarrassed either of them any further but the instant she tried to draw back she felt his hands tightening on the small of her back to keep her there.

"Not yet, just…"he finished lamely with silence, not sure how to put his need into words but thankfully he didn't have too. Carol knew what he was asking for without having to have words to explain because she felt it too. After so much, all she wanted to do was hold him for just a little bit longer and let the feeling of it wash away the horrible weight of fear that had haunted them both for almost a week.

"Don't mind us, aint like I mind a show." Merle's voice interrupted and broke the tranquility of the moment but even though it irritated the crap out of her, Carol couldn't even find it in her to be upset. When she finally forced herself away from Daryl, at least as much as Daryl's hands would allow, she offered him a bright and warm smile.

"Hello to you too Merle, as much as I'm sure you probably are tired of your hand and would love nothing more than to watch a perv show, I believe that man over there has much more interesting things to discuss with you." Carol grinned sweetly even as Daryl coughed loudly beside her to try and hide his amusement and Rick looked on in stunned surprise while Merle, well Merle just eyed her up and down slowly before a slow smile would curve his lips.

"Didn't know ya even had a mouth on ya sugartits, let alone such lip." Merle watched his brother slowly move in front of his woman and Merle couldn't help the narrow eyed glare he sent his way, "aint like I'm gonna hurt her none, was just makin observation and conversation Darlene, no need ta get your panties in a bind."

"Just go on, I'll be right behind ya and don't say nothin to no one till I get there. I mean it Merle." Daryl instructed with a glare while Carol moved to peek behind Daryl's shoulder, a little upset that he'd taken the stance in the first place when nothing had even been said. If things were going to work, everyone was going to have to learn to calm the hell down.

"Geeze, hurry up and get the kid wet sugartits, maybe it will lighten him up." Merle laughed hard at the bright red faces of both Carol and Daryl and turned to make his way towards Rick who was quietly shaking his head at him. "What's wrong officer friendly, aint like you don't know it's tha truth."

Rick sighed and shifted his daughter and his attention away from the still embarrassed couple just a few feet away. "I aint even going to attempt to explain to you what exactly was wrong about that, if you haven't figured it out yet, me tellin you aint going to solve it now." With that Rick turned and motioned for Merle to follow. "Come on let's get this over with."

"Whatever you say officer friendly, lead the way. Five bucks says they'll be late." Merle couldn't seem to help himself and half expected Rick to go Holy Roller on him, which made him all the more surprised when Rick merely smirked and looked over in his direction.

"You're on, ten bucks says they don't make it back at all."


	10. The First Time

Carol shifted in her spot, unwilling to raise her eyes just yet to the equally embarrassed and humiliated hunter beside her. She wanted to say that she couldn't believe that Merle would have said such a thing but honestly she couldn't even lie in her mind, in fact she knew she should have expected worse. Thinking on it did at least slowly bring a smile to her lips as finally she'd begin to lift her eyes towards Daryl, catching his little half smirk too and the blue of his eyes as they collide with hers.

"Aint right to wish him already dead when I just got him back," Daryl grumbled beneath his breath but felt a grin splitting his lips when he heard her light laughter reward him for the comment. He felt the slight push she gave to his arm and allowed himself to sway just slightly to let her think she could move him. He loved it when he could make her laugh, there were so few things left in this world to laugh over but if he could he'd see her laughing all the time. There was a carefree light that came to life in her eyes whenever she gave in to amusement, and her nose always seemed to crinkle in such a way that it reminded him of a pixie.

"No, but I won't tell no body if you don't," Carol teased playfully before she'd turn her gaze towards the prison where Rick and Merle had moved into, a hand rising to shield her eyes from the brightness of the sun. "Probably should head in there and keep everything from turning into a blood bath." When she turned she held out her hand to him with a warm smile, a smile that only blossomed further when she felt his rough hand slide against hers. Electricity shot up along her arm and soon danced within every cell of her body making her nearly vibrate with the shock of it. Her breath caught in her throat and her fingers flexed around his.

Briefly she wondered if he could feel it too and it took only a look into those swirling blue eyes to know that he did, just as intensely. Forcing herself to move took far more effort than it should have but eventually she had her feet turned towards the prison and moved to take a couple steps only to be brought to a halt by his unmoving frame. Blinking in surprise she turned her head and was immediately captured by the dark intensity in his gaze making her freeze in place.

Daryl knew she was surprised, could feel the small jolt of her pulse where his fingers slid up to grasp her wrist so he could slowly begin to pull her back towards him. He was a bundle of nerves the closer she got to him and he was pretty sure that his heart was racing like a rabbit in his chest but the sensation was lost in the cloud that had suddenly started to encompass his mind leaving him with nothing to think of but her. "Carol…" her name, like a gruff prayer slipped from his lips when he felt her body graze against the front of his.

He released her hand but slowly lowered it to her hip, his thumb stroking against the small little bit of flesh that peeked between tank top and jeans, his nostrils flaring at the tremble she gave and the small little catch of breath that escaped her. Daryl knew he needed to say something, he'd thought of everything and practiced it all in his head on the way back to her, but right now, staring into her eyes, he couldn't remember a damn word. The only thing he could even think about was the way she felt against him, the way her skin moved beneath his thumb as he grazed across her flesh.

Carol couldn't breathe as she slowly began to raise her hand up towards his face, so afraid that any movement she made would break the spell that had suddenly fallen over them. For a moment she was afraid she was dreaming, that she'd wake up in her cell any moment and he'd still be gone and this moment was nothing more than an over active imagination. She honestly didn't think she'd be able to bear it if the rough texture of his facial hair against her open palm wasn't real, or the way that if she stepped just a little bit closer their racing hearts would be pressed so close together.

"C'mere," he whispered and used his hand on her hip to urge her just that little bit closer until she was pressed up against his chest, his hand sliding, moving until his arm was wrapped around her small frame. Daryl watched as her light eyes darkened and before he had a chance to say anything further she moved swiftly, catching him by surprise and fitting her lips against his as her arms once more moved to wrap around his neck.

Daryl couldn't help but chuckle against her lips before he allowed himself to be pulled down into the deep pool of emotion as her lips moved against his. He could feel himself shaking against her as fear threatened to overwhelm him, fear that he would do something wrong, that he'd push too fast or too much. He didn't know how to be with a woman like Carol, hell he'd hardly known how to be with the women he had been with, but even as those self doubts started to fill him and make him tense he would feel her soften and slow.

Carol forced herself to relax and calm the storm brewing within her, able to feel the instant that he started to pull away even though his body hadn't moved. She bit back the whimper of fear, afraid she'd ended what had barely started but when she felt the first shy flick of his tongue as it danced across the seam of her mouth she gave a shuddering sigh of relief. Parting her lips she welcomed him in while she sank one of her small hands into his shaggy brown locks while the other danced it's fingertips along the nape of his neck.

Carol whimpered when she felt him pull away, her lips trying to chase after his even when she felt the weight of his head pressing against her forehead and his warm breath panting against the dampness he left behind. "We…we need to…ah fuck it." He finally finished on a growl and Carol found herself being pulled back into a mind blowing kiss that sent her body into meltdown. She whimpered into him and clung to him while their tongues dueled and caressed, not even realizing he was lowering them down onto the blanket she'd laid out for Judith until she felt the earth press into her back amongst the tall grass.

When his weight settled atop of her and pressed her down Carol groaned and lifted her hips up to caress against him, her eyes rolling back when she felt the hard length of his arousal brushing against her through the layer of their clothes. Their hands were no longer idle, fingers would tangle with buttons and material as both tried desperately to rid the other of clothing until finally Carol would break the kiss and laugh softly up at him, unable to help it. "How about we just do our own shirts?" she suggested and grinned happily when instead of getting upset he merely smirked and gave a quick nod as he sat up between her legs and began to peel off the layers on his torso.

Carol laid there a moment, propped up on her elbows as she watched him, surprised that he was so willing to bare his chest and back to her. Something of her thoughts must have shown on her face because his fingers paused over a button and one eyebrow would slightly rise. "Aint like ya aint seen em before. Sides, last thang on ma mind right now. Now you gonna just lay there bein a perv enjoying a show or are you gonna join me?"

Carol narrowed her eyes playfully even as her lips curved into a grin at his words and the reminder of her own towards Merle. "Well what's good for the goose…" she teased but was soon rising up off the blanket to gather the hem of her shirt and draw it up over her head, tossing it to the side as soon as it was clear. Strong arms would wrap around her, drawing her up into a hard bare chest that had a moan leave her while heat flared between her legs. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she'd felt anything remotely close to such desire, not even at the beginning with Ed. There was just something between her and Daryl, something that caught fire and burned in a way that no one could ever touch.

Her legs wrapped around his waist as he laid them back towards the blanket and once more she felt him settling over her, her fingers sliding along his sides, raking her nails along his lower back until they could slide beneath the hem of his jeans causing him to growl deliciously into her eager mouth. There was still a hesitance in his movements like he was second guessing every move and it both saddened her but also charmed her too. No one had ever cared about her pleasure before, but as his fingers ghosted their tips along the side of her breast she could literally feel the need he had to make her happy.

"Stop thinking." She whispered softly against his lips, letting her teeth playfully sink into his bottom lip and give a small tug, her eyes dancing when she heard his groan. Her response was to whimper as she felt his lips slowly leave hers, her eyes falling closed as they traveled a path down along her neck and shoulder, his gruff facial hair leaving her skin slightly pink as his teeth would nip and graze along the line of her pulse. Carol wasn't even aware that he had lowered his hands down her body towards her jeans, so distracted by the path of his mouth that the release of her clasp and fall of zipper came to her as a small surprise.

Daryl had never felt anything as soft as Carol's skin, the closest thing he could think of was silk but it lacked the warmth that her skin had. His fingers would hook into her jeans and begin to draw them and her panties down along her legs with her help, small giggles escaping the woman beneath him as he struggled to get them from around her ankles, taking shoes with him until he could toss it all away and turn his eyes back down to the beauty laying beneath him.

He'd never seen anything as beautiful as Carol, laying there spread out just for him, knowing that he was the only one that would ever touch her like this again, just him. He allowed her hands to pull him back down, covering her and pressing her back deep against the padded earth as her hands traveled along his arms and back and sides, seemingly everywhere at one time. His own hand would travel up along her inner thigh, dipping his head down to take in the pebbled tip of one breast into the heat of his mouth at the same moment his fingertips grazed along the heat at the apex of her thighs.

Carol cried out, her back arching, thrusting herself up, offering more of her small breast while her slender fingers dug and pulled at his dark hair. She'd never experienced such a shock of sensation, that same electricity that had ran through her at the mere touch of his hand in hers was there still only more intense and centered at the very core of her womanhood. Every suckle of his hot mouth caused an answering tug at her center, every little slight brush of his fingers against her damp folds caused her womb to spasm painfully deep within her.

When he dragged his fingertip along the glistening little bundle of nerves and gave a testing flick Daryl was rewarded with another delicious cry of shocked pleasure. He bore the pain of her nails digging into his flesh; surprised by the pleasure those little stabs caused him. The more he stroked her, building up the speed only to lower it back down, the deeper those nails sank into him and the louder her cries became. He brought his mouth to hers, regretfully silencing her cries, drinking them in as her hands feverishly moved between them to unclasp his jeans and push them down just enough that she could wrap her small hand around him, causing him to be the one to bite back on the noise.

When she began to stroke his length, he began to feel his world and control spinning and after a few more of her sweet caresses he was forced to reach down and grasp her wrist and pull her away. "Stop…" he almost begged her, knowing he wouldn't last if she kept touching him.

Carol smiled then and leaned her head up to place her lips against his ear, her teeth lightly nipping at his lobe before she'd whisper breathlessly, "Now…please Daryl," she demanded and when she heard his loud groan she purred softly against his ear in response. There was a brief moment of shifting before she'd feel that swollen tip brushing along her slick folds, pressing between her lips until he was poised at her entrance. In that moment both of them froze, not a whisper of sound or movement between them except for their racing hearts and panting breaths. The rest of the world would melt away, leaving them left alone to savor this precious moment that they had both been traveling too for so very long.

With eyes glued to one another's, fingers finding and grasping onto each other's hands as he lifted them above her head. In that single precious moment all that they had been holding back, all the words that were left unspoken gathered in their eyes for the other to read clearly. Instead of verbally confessing what was in their hearts, filling time and space with useless words Daryl would wait until he was sure she was thinking and looking at nothing but what was there in his eyes before he'd give a single short nod, saying it all, giving her all of the love he harbored for her within his soul and when she dazzled him with her bright smile, understanding dancing clearly in her loving gaze, he thrust forward and brought himself home within her.

There was nothing but heat, glorious wonderful heat as the summer air grew thick with muffled cries as the two lover's bodies moved together, urgent yet tender under the watchful eye of the sun as it cast its rays along their flesh making them glisten. Both of them knew that they didn't have long to bask in the glory of being united, too long had they waited, so they drowned themselves while they could. They used the time to touch and explore, to say with touches and kiss's what their mouths had never allowed them to say and when they both reached the end together they both felt like they had just rode out a tornado.

Carol kept her arms wrapped around him as he allowed her to take most of his weight, his head settled between her breasts so that it was easy for her to sooth her fingers through his hair as they both struggled to regain their breathing. Slowly the world began to make itself known to them once more and she felt him tense against her before he'd roll his shoulder tenderly. Carol would frown and tilt her head slightly to better look at him while the fingers of her free hand would brush against the bandage that covered his wound. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, concern wrinkling her brow before she'd relax once more into a smile as she heard his snort.

"Fine time to ask now aint it?" Daryl chuckled before he forced himself to sit up and look down into her sparkling eyes. "Should head back, aint no tellin what's goin on in there." He suggested, his eyes shifting away from her as she too began to sit up and reach for her clothes.

"I'm sure everything's fine," but even as she said it even she could hear the slight doubt in her tone so when she finished sliding her tank top over her head she tried again. "I mean, we haven't heard any gun shots so that's a plus right?" she asked with a teasing grin and laughed softly when he snorted and rose to his feet, zipping up his pants.

"It being quiet is what worries me more." He reached down and grabbed up his shirt, easing his arms carefully into it while she stood to pull her own jeans up over her hips. When she was finished dressing she stepped forward and gently brushed his fingers away so that she could help him finish buttoning his shirt. Daryl watched the way her elegant fingers moved so gracefully, the tips lightly brushing his sun warmed skin as she finished her task.

"We're okay right?" her small voice came suddenly, drawing his eyes swiftly up from her hands to gaze into her worried pale orbs. He bit the side of his mouth for a moment, struggling to put together the words that he knew she needed to hear but felt useless when nothing seemed to sound right in his mind. Finally he just released his pent up breath and brought his hands to cover hers, forcing her eyes to meet his.

"I aint got all the fancy words that I know ya wanna hear right now, an even if I did I probably still wouldn't say em. You're with me, Carol, and long as ya want me, I'm with you. Best I got but it's yours if ya want it." Daryl raised his hand and bit at his thumb as he waited for her to say something, anything really, hoping he hadn't just ruined the best thing to ever happen to him in no less than five minutes.

Carol could see the anxiety begin to build in her hunter and even though she found she kind of enjoyed making him squirm a bit she reached up and took his hand away from his mouth and brought it to hers, letting her kiss swollen lips press against the skin his teeth had just gnawed. "That sounds pretty good to me, hows forever sound to you?" she asked with a warm smile that only grew as he chuckled and gave a single nod to her words.

"Suppose that's a start." He watched as she released his hand and bent to fold the blanket up and tuck beneath her arm before they would set out towards the prison. They didn't hold on to each other like most new lover's would, in fact they barely even touched but for the occasional brush of shoulders or arms as they made their way through the tall grass of the field but that was enough for them. As they neared the door they could hear the echo of raised voices and both paused before it, reluctant to enter the fresh hell inside after just coming from stealing a little bit of heaven.

"Wonder if Hershel knows how to wire a jaw shut?" Daryl asked with a grumble but his eyes lightened at the giggle she released at the words. When he looked over she was shaking her head, her eyes dancing as she reached out and grasped the handle of the door.

"Ask him after he hits on Beth, I'm pretty sure he'd be more willing to listen to the idea." She spoke through her giggles, just imagining the kind older doctor loosing it over something they both knew would happen eventually.

"Nah comes to that; Maggie will get to em first." Daryl chuckled then would reach out and help to hold the door open for her to enter first. When she paused in front of him he would arch a brow and lean down when she crooked a finger at him to do so. Carol would grin and brush her lips softly against his, lingering for a brief moment so they could both savor the charge that immediately spiked along their flesh. Daryl groaned and slipped his hand to her waist once more, that same thumb stroking at her exposed flesh while he drank in the sweet flavor of her lips.

When she pulled back she reached up and tenderly drew her thumb along his bottom lip, her eyes once more dark and hooded. "I'm glad your home Daryl." Her words were simple to be sure, but within them was all the worry and relief that she'd been harboring since he'd walked away from her and since he'd returned. She was about to slip by him when his hand moved from her hip to grasped the back of her neck to draw her to a stop and bring her eyes back to his.

"I'll always come back to you Carol," and with that he would lean and seal his vow with a rough kiss before the angry sound of Glen's bellow drew them apart swiftly. Daryl growled low, knowing he was about to walk into a hornet's nest with no idea on how to calm it down.

"Go get em tiger!" Carol cheerfully encouraged and gave a playful swat to his backside which caused the younger man's eyes to widen and his mouth to fall open in shock. Carol couldn't help it, she tried she really did but at his expression and the heat in his cheeks she couldn't help but dissolve into giggles, the sound only growing as he growled and stormed off ahead of her leaving her to close the door behind them.


	11. The Fall Out

They walked into complete and utter chaos, not that they hadn't expected it and weren't prepared for it but the level of insanity seemed to take Carol a bit by surprise. Then again, this was Merle after all. She watched as Daryl moved into the fray, taking a stance besides Merle, not liking the look in Glen's murderous eyes. He understood it of course but that didn't mean he was just gonna stand by and watch his friend murder his brother.

"I done told ya I didn't touch your woman so calm your tits all I did was rough ya up a little bit. You're still breathin aint ya?" Merle shouted not helping his case much as the young couple took turns telling him just where he could go and it sure as hell wasn't to a cell block.

"We are alive no thanks to you!" Maggie shouted and lunged at Merle only to be halted by Glen's arm wrapping around her waist to hold her back. She couldn't believe that this…piece of filth was in any way shape or form related to Daryl. Sure, Daryl might have a few issues but he was still a man of honor, someone she'd learned she could depend on and whom she felt affection for. The man before her was nothing but a stain that needed to be scrubbed off.

"Yea, well consider it payback sugartits cause I'm alive no thanks to officer friendly and your boy toy here. Did they tell you they cuffed me on a roof and then left me there to be biter chow?" he narrowed his eyes and took a step closer to her only to have Daryl throw out an arm to keep him from advancing further. Still he'd lift his metal stub and held it up to her eye level. "Least your boy toy came back all in one piece. Hell, way I look at it, you owe me a favor at the very least a thank you."

"Damn it Merle shut the hell up!" Daryl finally exclaimed and pushed his brother back till he was forced to sit down on the bench of the table then looked at Glen and Maggie. "Everybody just shut the hell up. Look I get it, you don't like him here and I don't blame ya but he's my brother and if he goes I go," Merle would interrupt him with a satisfied chuckle only to glare at the words that followed, "Unless he does something else. Then I'll kill him my own damn self."

"You aint got the balls Darlene…"

"Merle, one more word and he won't have too, I will." Carol finally spoke up, her head pounding from the running in circles everyone was doing. Hell she should be basking in the glow of the best sex she'd ever had but no, instead here they were dealing with this jackass and frankly she wasn't very happy about it. It was almost as if he were trying to get himself kicked out…it was then that her mind clicked, that was exactly what he was trying to do. Because he knew Daryl would go with him. "Daryl isn't going anywhere just cause you want to throw a temper tantrum like a child cause your brother made a life without you."

"Careful whatcha say there Mrs. Robinson." Merle growled and tried to stare the woman down. Since when had the mouse of the group grown a set bigger than Dallas? At first when they had arrived he'd thought her bit of sass amusing but momentary, now he was gettin the idea he had her all kinds of wrong. When her pale eyes narrowed and her head cocked in just a fashion at him he actually felt a sliver of fear slide down his spine. Damn if the woman didn't look downright evil.

"Call me that…just one more time," Carol warned with heat flaring in her eyes. There was only four years difference between her and Daryl, she was definitely not a Mrs. Robinson and she was damn tired of her age being so casually joked about. She might not be fresh and young in her teens and twenties like Beth and Maggie but that just meant she actually knew what the hell she was doing.

Finally Rick would step forward and put a calming hand on Carol's shoulder, smirking at the hesitation he saw in Merle's eyes as he watched the fury that flared to life within her eyes. "Look this aint ideal for any of us but the truth is we need Merle and more importantly this matters to Daryl so for now we're gonna suck it up and deal with him but Merle…I suggest you be on the best behavior you're capable of because one slip…"

"Yea, yea officer friendly I get it you'll take my other hand or maybe a foot next time?" Merle glared stubbornly only to blink, stunned into submission by the cuff he got to the back of his head that snapped his head forward and left his scalp stinging.

Carol stood there unrepentant and glared just as heatedly at him as he had her. "Shut up Merle."

Merle tried to get up, eager to put the gray haired bitch back in her place only he barely even moved before he had the sharp tip of his brother's arrow brushing against the tip of his nose as he came between them. For the first time he stared down the length of his brother's weapon and felt, to the core of his soul, that his brother wouldn't even hesitate to pull the trigger.

"Hey there little brother," he smiled and held up his hands with that same annoying smirk curving his lips. "No need to go pointin that in ol Merle's face. He wasn't gonna do her no harm. You weren't even scared were ya sugartits?" He curved his eyes over to the woman that had moved herself between him and his brother, not physically no, but she was still there between them and he had a feeling she wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

Michonne would finally speak up, drawing everyone's attention away from the frustrating man and back to the unasked question that would finally be addressed. "Andrea…is she still alive?" the scarf that had been left with his stump was looped through the belt hoop of the ebony beauty's pants, blood stained to the point that you couldn't even begin to make out the pattern.

"Yea yea, that bitch is still alive. She's got that piece of shit wrapped tight around her little finger believe me she aint in any harm, well not so long as she keeps puttin out." Merle chuckled only to frown and glare as his mind flashed him back to the blond headed witch smirking up at him as they left him on that little ledge to die. "Trust me she aint being held captive. Well can't tell you what goes on in their bedroom but wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't some freaky shit."

Rick would sigh and pinch at the bridge of his nose counting for patience, something that he lacked the longer he stayed in the man's presence. "You're telling me she's with the gov'ner on her own free will?"

"Hell yea I am. That little tart started struttin around town the minute she found herself in his bed. Oh she pretends she aint got no idea but trust me, it don't take long to figure him out, unless you just don't' want to or you just don't care. What," he'd address Michonne, "You thought once she figured out who he was she'd leave?"

"You're lying!" Michonne lunged forward only to be caught by Rick yet still she'd glare at Merle. "She would never do anything to hurt any of us. Why should we believe you?"

"Hey you wanna go on livin in a fairy tale you go right ahead but at least know your roles. That bitch aint the damsel in distress, she's the fuckin evil queen! You aint got to believe ol Merle but if I'm wrong why aint she here?" Merle questioned, getting a little fed up with people callin him a liar the one time he was actually telling the damn truth. "He took the china-man and the farmer's daughter here and what happened? Is she here? Did she come runnin? Nah, she's still back there pretty as ya please."

"Because he's keeping her there!" Michonne yelled only to frown when Merle cracked up and shook his head almost giving her a sympathetic look which took a bit of the wind out of her sails and had her not wanting to hear his responses anymore.

"You keep telling yourself that sweetheart. Next time they come though, and we know that they will, why don't you take a look at just who is ridin shotgun next to ol one eye? But hell, what do I know. Maybe she'll come to her senses. Or you will. Now if we're done I need to get some sleep and I'm damn tired of arguin with all ya'll when aint none of ya'll wantin to listen."

"Come on son, I'll show ya to a cell." Hershel spoke up calmly as he stood and made his way slowly over to him. It was a hard thing, looking at the man that had caused his little girl and Glen so much pain. But right now he knew that there would be no peace or logical conversation happening so long as Merle remained in the room. He could see the hesitance in Daryl's gaze and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry Daryl." Hershel was touched that his obvious concern wasn't for his brother, but for him, a point that was proven with his next words.

"You say one thing that bothers him; I'll put an arrow in your left ball sack." He warned in a guttural growl that had Merle feigning a wound over his heart.

"I may be all kinds of fucked up baby brother, but even I don't stoop to pickin on the elderly. Come on old man; let's get our gimpy selves out of their way so they can talk all nice and pretty about killin ol Merle and figure out where to hide the body." Merle smirked as he stood and moved under the heavy weight of nearly the whole groups gaze but it was Carol that would break the silence to reply with a soft smile and sweetness oozing from her tone.

"Oh Merle, we wouldn't bother hiding it."

"Watch out for that one little brother, with a tongue that sharp blow jobs have to be a painful experience."

Carol would narrow her eyes at his retreating back but she felt the corners of her lips lift just a tiny little fraction. If the man didn't make her want to strangle the life out of him, she might have actually thought he was a little funny. She kept that opinion to herself though and instead turned her focus on Daryl, watching his reaction to everything carefully so he wouldn't feel her watching him. Yet somehow he always seemed to know and soon those piercing blue orbs were locked with hers and though she could easily read the frustration and hesitance in his gaze, she could also see a little echo of the humor she felt in her own heart and it caused her lips to curve into a quick half smile that he returned before they would turn their attention back towards the group.

"I don't know why that bastard is lying but I know he is. Andrea wouldn't stay with him knowing what he was going to come here and do." Michonne stated but everyone could tell that the confidence in that statement came more from her anger at Merle than any true belief in her words. It broke Carol's heart to watch this strong determined woman look lost for even the smallest of seconds. She wanted to reach out to her, to offer her any form of comfort she would accept but she knew that it wouldn't be welcomed so she remained by Daryl and watched as Carl would move from his place against the wall instead and eased himself down to sit next to her. He didn't touch the woman nor speak but his presence there seemed to calm her. She had never really seen the two of them together very often and the distrust was still shadowed on the young boy's face but she couldn't help but see his sympathy to this woman, this virtual stranger because he understood her, understood the worry and loss she was feeling for her friend.

Rick, who had kept his focus on the katana wielding warrior, would shake his head slowly before running a tired hand down his face, taking a deep breath before releasing it before speaking. "Merle has no reason to lie about this and frankly we have more pressing matters to worry about."

"More pressing than getting back one of your people?" Michonne hissed hotly, her pain making her lash out.

"She stopped being one of us the moment she didn't' leave with you." Rick spoke darkly but calmly, just as betrayed as Michonne yet the responsibility of the group rested on his shoulders and even if Merle was lying, there was nothing they could do to get to her right now, at least not yet. "Merle was right about one thing, they will be coming back. This was just a hello, next time he's gonna be comin with the full force behind him."

"So what do we do?" Glen asked his fury at seeing Merle finally calming since the man was no longer in the room. His eyes kept straying back to Maggie though, his hand reaching out to rest comfortingly on her shoulder, knowing that all of this had just brought up those memories for her once again. He hated seeing those shadows back within her gaze; they'd only just started to fade and the feeling of failing her hit him hard all over again. Still she didn't tense under his touch and even reached up to let her hand lightly squeeze his in response. That was more than he could have asked for right now.

"We need to mend that gate for one, the longer it stays open the more walkers are gonna get in." Rick started, "The gun fire has to have grabbed the attention of every walker for at least a couple miles. We don't want a herd on our hands; the fences can only take so much so we need to make sure they don't start building up"

"We need to go on more runs, try to find some more firepower." Daryl added. "There's a couple towns, a little further away that we aint touched yet. Might have some things we can use, plus regular supplies."

"Right," Rick agreed before turning his attention to the group at large. "Let's try and focus on as much as we can, we don't know how much time we have to prepare."

It was obvious that Michonne was still struggling with what Merle had said and her own knowledge of the woman she'd become devoted too. It was hard for Carol to comprehend as well. While the men spoke she would make her way over to the table that Carl and Michonne were seated and smiled at Carl, sending him away with a look before she looked down at the woman.

"I don't think Merle was lying, he was too offended to be faking it, but that doesn't mean that he knows everything." Carol would give a wry little smile when Michonne looked up questioningly and she took it as an invitation to continue. "Sometimes when you're in a situation… when you find yourself in the presence of someone you had entirely pegged wrong, your brain shuts itself down to all the signs. Lets you still do things for them that makes your skin crawl but you do it with a smile on your face and tell yourself that you weren't so wrong. Andrea might not be here but that doesn't mean that she doesn't have her reasons for staying."

Michonne would tilt her head, those dark knowing eyes slipping over Carol's face and for the first time she felt herself opening up towards one of the members of the group. "I tried to tell her when I was there, tried to get her to see the monster that lurked behind the charm but she wouldn't listen, she wouldn't come with me. She had an excuse for everything and for a moment I thought, maybe I was the crazy one but I wasn't and I'm not. There has to be a reason why she hasn't come Carol. I feel it."

"Yea well, we can't sit around here waitin on her ass to show up. Come on, got shit to do that don't have nothing to do with waggin our jaws all day." Daryl's gruff voice broke through the moment and though Carol expected the woman to respond in the same fashion she had with his brother, she was surprised to see a look of amusement cross her usually still features. Without a word she stood and gave a nod of her head to the hunter before looking back to the woman who had offered her a little bit of hope. "Thanks." She said simply before moving off to the door leaving Carol and Daryl alone.

"You should probably go rest like Merle; you've been through a lot lately. Hershel needs to look at that shoulder too." She'd instruct, feeling a little guilty she'd forgotten about his injuries earlier in the field. Some of her thoughts must have been on her face because he was soon smirking in amusement.

"Fine time to think of that now after jumpin me earlier dontcha think?" Daryl teased and was rather proud of himself for the color that immediately blossomed in her cheeks. It wasn't often that he held the upper hand between them and he wanted to savor it for as long as he could. When her hand came up to lightly hit his chest he only chuckled which caused the color to grow.

"Oh shut up." Carol huffed and moved to go off to help when she was stopped by his hand coming to latch onto her wrist. Stopping she'd turn in his direction, a look of question on her face and within her pale orbs.

"Whatcha said to her, you think your right?"

"I hope I am. Andrea never struck me as the type to fall into the same mistakes that I did, she's so much stronger than me but that doesn't mean it's not possible. We don't know what is going on over there and until we do I think we should keep an open mind." Carol smiled and turned then, taking a couple steps away before she heard him once more.

"You're wrong."

Blinking Carol would tilt her head and arch a brow, silently waiting on him to explain. When he began to make his way towards her, her curiosity only grew, wondering what on earth in her statement he felt was so off. When finally he'd stop to where their shoulders were nearly touching as he moved to pass her, he would stare down into her eyes, his own dark and intense.

"Aint no one as strong as you."

 


	12. One of Us

It was a very strange thing, waking up with a body beside her, well not so much beside her as around her. She'd been fighting the feeling of being over heated all night yet couldn't be roused enough to do more than attempt at kicking at covers that weren't there. Now with the world once more alive and her body's natural alarm clock going off, she'd wake to realize the reason behind her heat. Somehow he'd managed to crawl behind her, taking up the space between her and the wall. His strong arms were wrapped tightly around her, his body pressed up close with hers and gods help her but she couldn't contain the tiny little smile that teased at the corner of her lips.

Very carefully she would turn within his arms, not wanting to disturb him. When she was settled once more she allowed those blue gray eyes of hers to travel over his exhausted features. He didn't rest nearly enough, she'd always known that but this close she could see all the little wrinkles of stress that hadn't been there when they had first met, when this had all started. They had been so very different then and yet from the first moment he'd stood up to Ed in camp after he'd went on another one of his drunken rampages, there had been something that drew her to him even though at first it was only her eyes.

He'd been so wild then, so aggressive, spitting and hitting at anything that even came close to trying to reach out to him. She still wasn't sure what it had been that had her looking at the rough redneck differently than she had his brother but she had. From the very first moment they had walked into the camp she had noticed that though he had the same bark as Merle, he was a different animal all together. And now look at him, her beautiful damaged hunter, now someone that others counted on, someone that others looked up too. He was a man, one who was so pure of soul it was almost painful to look at him sometimes and others it was hard to keep her hands to herself.

"How'my supposed to sleep with you starrin at me like that woman?" his rough voice slipped into the small cell making her jump at first in surprise than smile in amusement as she lifts a hand now and tucks back the dark brown lock of hair that had been teasing over his brow since she'd rolled over. Her smile grew as he shifted even closer to her and she could feel even more of him pressing against the length of her body. He seemed to be enjoying the sensation too because he just kept inching closer until there wasn't so much as a breath between them and still he hadn't opened his eyes.

"Well, I would have already slipped off to the chores if someone hadn't been wrapped around me like a boa constrictor." She teased only to give a soft laugh as his hold only tightened further around her and he dropped his head so that his face was buried in her neck. The sensation of his beard against the delicate skin had her giving a little shiver which only had him groaning and burying himself deeper against her.

"Aint hearin no complaints." His voice came muffled and nearly drowned out by the sound of a soft moan slipping free of her as she felt his tongue trace along that sensitive line that sent electricity all the way deep down inside.

Her hand was sliding down his chest and stomach, intent on finding the opening to his jeans so she could take the prodding length of him into her hand when she heard his quick intake of breath and smiled. Despite everything he was still getting used to freely touching her and feeling her touch him. When the button popped free she would bite into her bottom lip to try and hide her grin as she felt him shake a little against her from the anticipation that was building inside of him, only spurring her own to grow. As she drug the zipper down slowly she'd tilt her head and nudge his until she could find his lips, kissing him nice and slow, languidly tasting him, savoring the sound he made as her small hand wrapped around his thick and pulsing base.

"Fuck…" she tasted the word against her mouth, rushed forth from his lips into hers, and it made her giggle as she leans her head back and meets his deep blue eyes.

"Not quite yet, but soon enough." She'd tease cheekily even as she drew her hand out and eased him from the confines of his jeans so she could grasp hold of him more completely.

"You're going to be the death of me woman." He growled before he'd tilt her head back even further, his rough hand sliding into the strands of her short hair, gripping as his mouth fell against hers and took away whatever comment she might have been about to make.

Instead she would moan, deeply and curl her body against his while her hand would continue to caress him, stroking him now as their kiss deepened and grew more heated. Her thumb would stroke along the edge of his crown, feeling the dampness that had already begun to weep from the small opening. Her tongue curled against his as if in natural reaction wanting to taste that dewy drop that her thumb would smear against his skin easing her touches further.

"You're going to make me cum." He protested but that only made her smile against his lips as her teeth came to nip lightly on his bottom lip, giving it a little tug even as her wrist would give a small twist as she neared that sensitive tip once more and felt his hips buck against her hand.

"You say it like it's a bad thing." She purred only to gasp as he suddenly reached down and in seemingly one move had her wrists above her head and her flat on her back with his large frame looming over her.

"It is when I want to be inside you when I do." His rough voice whispered down to her and she felt his free hand making quick work of her own jeans. Not satisfied until her bottom half was completely bare to him and he could gaze down between her thighs to where he wanted to be buried. He knew she would be hot and wet for him, he could see the glistening sheen on her swollen lips and it made him shudder.

"Mine." He claimed as he would reach between her pale legs and slipped one of his blunt fingers deep inside of her suddenly causing her to arch her back sharply and buck her hips. Her tight walls close eagerly around his finger only to whimper and dig her nails into the hand that held hers captive as his thumb would push through the folds and find the hidden little nubbin of pleasure that had her seeing stars.

"That's it baby, move for me." He instructed as her hips began to roll without her say, surging up and searching for that deeper impact that only he could give her.

She wanted him inside of her, right then and there but every time she tried to reach for him he would only tighten his hold on her hands, keeping her there forcing her to simply take the pleasure he pushed on her body. When she began to whimper in protest he would merely press his mouth to hers, drinking in her cries of need and pleasure until she simply gave up the fight and allowed her body to do what it so desperately craved.

She would hear a soft, "good girl," before he'd ease another digit into her slick depths, stretching her body further. The pressure of his thumb only deepened against her clit sending those sensations spiraling through her, building and building; higher and higher they went until with a cry she was falling over. Her body jerked against him and around him, her back bowed sharply with the intensity of the pleasure and for a moment she couldn't help but think the thoughts too much. Yet at that precise moment when she was splintering into a million pieces and thought she could take no more, he would thrust into her in one swift push that had her screaming into his mouth.

"Oh god." She heard and felt him groan against her lips, their panting breaths mingling together as he allowed her a moment to breath. She was so incredibly tight around him, the way that her body moved, urgently seeking his as he met her, sank into the depths of her. His mind was nearly blank but for the urge to continue, to push them both past what they had ever felt before.

Her whimpers were filling his ears along with the steady slap of their bodies as they joined together time and time again. With each passing moment the passion between them only grew until their movements were frenzied and raw. Mouths and teeth would seek purchase in flesh and bone, hands now free would clutch at his back pressing him down against her while his would tangle in her hair and grip at the strands.

He would hold out, clinging to control with every fiber of his strength until he felt her body quiver and quake once more. Her muscles would clamp down around him, holding him hostage within her flesh and finally he would release himself into her causing both of them to groan with satisfaction.

He would collapse against her then, their breaths still labored, bodies still entwined and throbbing when he heard the commotion outside the cell block and groaned dropping his head once more against her shoulder causing her to giggle as she raises her hands to stroke soothingly at his back.

"I'm honestly amazed the peace lasted this long." She confessed, grinning when he scoffed against her neck, nipped her then began to rise from the bed and her. What she really wanted to do was pull him back and demand at least half an hour of good cuddling but something told her that he'd look at her as if she'd lost her mind if she even suggested it.

So instead she would force her body to move when all it wanted to do was lay there and bask in her inner glow. She watched as he pulled his pants up a bit and zipped himself in carefully, his movements growing more frustrated the longer the time ticked by and he allowed himself to think about what his brother might have done that caused the ruckus that they could hear clearly now.

"One day…fuckin couldn't give me one damn day without him shootin off at the mouth," he growled, jerking almost violently when she placed her hand on his arm which caused her to take a step back.

"You don't even know if it's him yet…" she tried to sooth and earned herself a glare instead.

"Aint no one else capable of that and you know it. Shoulda just left his ass on that damn cliff where I found him." He growled and reached for his bow while she sighed and just shook her head as she buttoned up the jeans she'd just slipped on.

"Go on then, jump to conclusions." She narrowed her eyes at him and reached for her own weapons and began to put the knives on when she felt his hand come to rest at the small of her back.

"I didn't mean to piss ya off." his voice was smaller, calmer now after watching her jerking movements, regret evident within his blue gaze and for a moment she felt bad for getting upset with him. Having Merle there was going to be hard for him, the push and pull between the brother he was born with and the one he made was probably going to tear him apart.

Releasing a slow breath she would shake her head and glance up at him before she'd closer to him. "I'm not pissed at you Daryl. I'm frustrated that I can't wallow in my bliss and I'm frustrated that you're probably absolutely right and it is him and I'll want to bash his teeth right out of his head with that metal stump of his." She finished with a grumble only to blink and look up as he chuckled and pulled her closer still to him once more.

"How bout I let you?" He asked with a boyish crooked smile that she couldn't refuse and found her own lips quirking up and a soft exasperated laugh escaping her.

"Then I'd say you'd deserve a reward…" she was about to lift up on her toes to brush her lips against his when once more the sound of voices came through the thick walls and had her sighing as she lowered herself back down. "One that will apparently come after." She gave a small smile of amusement.

Daryl smirked, allowing himself a moment of amusement with her before he would realize he had to stop putting this off. At the very least it seemed like whatever was going on out there had calmed down. Maybe he was lucky and someone had knocked Merle out and he wouldn't have to.

"Hey you two lovebirds, ya'll might want to quit goin at it like rabbits and come see what the cat drug in." Merles words interrupted both their thoughts and movements. Pulling back the sheet that was used as a privacy curtain to Carol's cell Daryl would move out into the open and stared at his brother, surprised to find him there and in once piece and not with a bullet in his brain from someone's sheer frustration.

Carol wasn't slow to follow and with both of them standing there looking at him like he was walking around with two heads on his shoulders Merle couldn't help but smirk. "Ya'll thought it was me didn'tya. Dontcha worry ol Merle is on his best behavior." When both of them looked at him with disbelief and not much else Merle would sigh and roll his eyes moving away from the entrance way and moving back towards the exit. "Hey you don't wanna see Andrea, aint my problem."

"Andrea?" Carol reached out and grabbed at his arm pausing him in his retreat. Merle stared down at the delicate hand on his arm, delicate but deadly and raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't stutter did I?" he smirked. "Guess she decided to come and prove me wrong, wantin to talk officer friendly into some kinda sit down with ol one eye."

"You don't think it will work?" Carol asked as she met his gaze and saw a cunning there that most wouldn't think possible. She had the feeling that a lot of people didn't think there was much behind Merle besides anger and frustration. She was glad to see that she wasn't entirely off when it came to Daryl's brother's character.

"Hell nah it aint gonna work girl." He scoffed at her like she was stupid but she didn't take offence to it. "Bloods gonna flow. Question is will it be ours or theres."

"So your one of us now?" Daryl finally broke in causing Carol's eyes to dance between the two rough men and felt her heart sadden at the distance between them. Both of them so close and yet worlds apart.

"I'm here aint I?"

"Your here for Daryl." Carol corrected.

"Yea I am but he's with ya'll so until he comes to his senses guess ya'll are gonna be stuck with me." The smirk on his face said that he found that idea far more amusing than he should. "Now we done chit chattin like a bunch of pussies or are we gonna go find out what that blond bimbo has to say to Rick."

Carol would sigh and roll her eyes as she moved to follow him out with Daryl following close on her heels. "She's not a bimbo Merle. She's one of us."

"Nah sugartits, the way I see it, she's one of them, Daryl's one of ya'll and you...you sugar is one of us."

The words caused Carol to stumble in surprise only to find Daryl pausing in his step as well. They watched for a moment as Merle continued on his way, unable to believe that the rough and tumble man had actually, in a round a bout way given her a compliment, called her family. Maybe they were still in bed dreaming? Carol cast her eyes quickly to Daryl's and found the same wonder and suspicion she knew was clearly written in hers.

"Ya'll Comin or what?!" Merle's shout from around the corner had them smirking to each other before quickly catching up. This was promising to be a strange day indeed.


	13. Forgiving Yourself

Daryl was getting sick of this shit, it was a constant back and forth between everyone and hell if he couldn't figure out why. Seemed pretty damn straight forward and simple to him and if Merle could grasp a hold of the concept why the hell couldn't they? His mind kept flashing back to Randall and the debate that had gone on then at the farm about what to do with him, and just like now it had been pointless. Bastard had ended up dead anyway and if this kept going the way he saw it unfolding, they'd all be dead this time.

Merle seemed to be in the same frame of mind if all the snorts and grunts were anything to go by. His eyes trailed down to the woman sitting between them on the bench seat while they took posts on the table itself. He could read the frustration that was boiling just beneath the surface in the quiet stillness of her body. When Carol was relaxed she was constantly in motion but when she was still and quiet it was like the calm before the storm and whoever had caused it needed to get the fuck out of the way. His eyes rose from her and looked to Rick.

He wanted to support the man, he really did and he hadn't missed the way his eyes kept cutting to him, hoping he would take a stance behind him but he couldn't, not this time. Hell even he could see that this was nothing more than a trap gift wrapped in blond hair and a tight little ass. The problem was that any time someone tried to explain that to him Rick would jump on the defense and wouldn't listen to a damn thing any of them had to say.

"Rick we need to think about this, it doesn't even make sense." Glen tried again to speak reason only to have Andrea cut him off once more.

"What doesn't make sense about it Glen? The fact that he's willing to sit down and talk about this like civilized human beings? That there might be a way around all the bloodshed if we can just compromise?"

"Way I see it sugartits, the only one who would win at this little pow-wow would you and ol one eye." Merle cut her down and at her angered glare he'd just blow her a kiss to get her further fired up. At the soft laugh of amusement coming from Carol Merle would wink down at her. If there was one thing that Merle was good at, it was pissing people off.

"I fail to see how any of this even concerns you." Andrea hissed at Merle, arms crossing as she tried her best to intimidate the man and frowned when all she got for her trouble was a lewd look to the breasts she'd pushed up.

"It concerns him because it concerns Daryl and me." Carol spoke calmly but forcefully, shutting down her old friend when the blond turned surprised eyes towards her. The woman wasn't prepared for the Carol that sat before her now, she wasn't nowhere near the small weak thing she'd been at the quarry and like hell she was going to sit there and let this woman talk down to Merle like he didn't matter, that his thoughts didn't mean anything. "As far as I see it, Merle knows more about this Phillip than you do and if anyone has something to say about him, if we were going to listen to anyone, it should be him."

Carol could feel the weight of nearly everyone in her group's gazes but no one's gaze was heavier than the man sitting to her left. She knew Merle hadn't expected anyone to speak up for him, hell even she was a little surprised by it but she had a point and she knew it. Merle had been with the Governor almost since losing him in Atlanta. He knew more about the man's character than Andrea could possibly know in the short amount of time she'd been with him, no matter how intimate that time was.

"Well hell Mouse, and here I thought you didn't like me none." He'd push his lips in a kiss towards her that had Daryl tensing and growling beneath his breath as if prepared to make a move on Merle but Carol would rest one hand on his thigh, soothing him while her pale orbs never left Merle's.

"I don't recall saying I did…be that as it may," she rushed on when Merle went to talk again, cutting off his chance to say something raunchy and vulgar like she knew he was just dying to do. Her eyes cut away from him and moved across the familiar faces of her friends…her family. "Look I know we have all had our dealings with Merle and he hasn't exactly left the best taste in our mouths, shut up Merle, " she'd pause at his snicker before continuing, "but that doesn't mean that we can just right off what he's saying. At least listen to him." She encouraged, hating the anger and hurt she saw in Maggie's eyes. As much as she wanted to beat Merle senseless for taking a vulnerable woman and leaving her to be violated, this was a new world and sugar coating shit wasn't going to save anyone's life. Maggie was alive and hadn't been raped, she'd been frightened and humiliated but she was left whole. They didn't have time to worry about her delicate sensibilities, besides she could tell that girl some stories about what it really felt like to be left battered and broken.

"I agree with Carol. You don't want to rush into any of this without thinking everything through Rick." Hershel added calmly, always trying to be the voice of reason to a man who wanted no part of it. The old man moved closer on his crutches, getting around easier than most people with two legs and placed his hand on the former deputy's shoulder, "Just here him out Rick."

Rick didn't want to listen and it was obvious that Andrea didn't want him too either but before he could attempt to try and set his foot in stone Daryl would speak out drawing everyone's gaze towards him.

"Ya'll aint seein the bigger fuckin picture here. We meet with him, we sit down at this little pow-wow and what does that tell him? That we're weak little pussies afraid of him that's what."

"That's right little brother. Ya'll think ya'll are the first one's he's ever made this offer too? You don't even wanna know how many of those poor bastards never even left the meeting place and the ones that actually made it back to their people just let the devil on in and were the last to die after watching all those people he was trying to save be either taken or killed right there on the spot. You think this asshat really gives a damn about some compromise? The word aint even in his vocabulary and why the fuck should it be? Why the hell would you compromise on shit when you got all the big guns and the bodies to fire them?" Merle asked and gave a roll of his eyes as he finally saw the wheels begin to turn in officer friendly's head.

"That isn't what this is Merle. Phillip isn't a bad man, no more than any of us are. Can any of us say that there isn't innocent blood on our hands? That we haven't killed to protect and claim something better for ourselves? Jesus, listen to who you are listening too! You're going to believe some drugged out asshole over me?" Andrea practically screeched at them seeing the tides turn from where she'd wanted them to go. The woman was a fast action lawyer, she knew how to voice an argument to a court and a jury full of peers but when it came to this new world, to the arguments of one Merle Dixon, she didn't have a soap box to stand on.

"Why because your givin it to him, cause you bent over and became his whore?" Merle barked out a laugh and sneered at her as he let his eyes rake over her. "You ever stop and ask yourself what the hell happened to the last bitch he had in his bed?" At Andrea's widened eyes Merle really would laugh then and slapped his leg with his good hand. "Oh that shit is fucking good. What, you thought you were the only one since his precious wife died? Did he tell you that shit…and you believed it? Well shit Blondie, even I thought you had more brains than that."

Michonne would step forward then; ignoring Merle's continued amusement and focused instead on the fresh agony on her friend's features. She didn't stop until she was able to place both of her hands on Andrea's shoulders and waited until she brought her eyes up to hers before she'd speak, making sure she had her attention. "What do you really know of this man Andrea? How many times did you see killer's walk away scot free because they knew how to spin a good believable story? I get it. You want to believe in him but what is more important, proving Merle wrong or listening to reason?"

"Phillip isn't…"

"The fuck he aint sugartits. I never thought I'd see the day when I ever put someone in the same category of demented son of a bitch as I did me and Darlena here's old man but that bastard…fuck he's one step away and nippin at his heels."

Carol would sigh and shake her head nudging his knee to get his attention and didn't stop until she had his eyes. "Merle…shut up your not helping."

"What the fuck Mouse, you done said people needed to listen to me and now your tellin me to shut up?" Merle growled, his eyes sparkling with deadly frustration that was about to be a ticking time bomb in him if it didn't simmer down.

"There is a time to talk and a time to shut up, right now is one of those times to shut up. I'll let you know when you can speak again." Carol spoke calmly even under the glare that was being leveled at her. If looks could kill she would be six foot in the ground with Merle standing over her spitting on her grave. She knew no one, not even Daryl had ever tried to take such a high handed approach with Merle but he was going to just have to get used to it. Merle was like an over grown toddler so until he decided to stop acting like one she'd continue to handle him just like she had Sophia.

"Merle can it." Daryl spoke from her other side when Merle's mouth moved to open, no telling what sort of bile he was about to spew. Daryl's head was pounding from all of this back and forth shit. He wanted to be out in the woods, he wanted to be preparing for whatever the hell they were going to do, not sit around here and bicker like a bunch of old hens. It was obvious that Rick was torn on what to do; it was also obvious that Andrea didn't know shit about the man she'd been sleeping with and fuck all if Merle wasn't the voice of fucking reason. That shit right there was enough to drive a man to drink.

"I think the only thing that is going to get decided today, is the fact that we're undecided. Why don't we all take a break, cool our tempers and come back when we're all able to think a little bit more clearly?" Hershel's voice once more echoed out and Daryl took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He knew that was the end of this meeting, at least for now and he was up on his feet before the others even started to shift.

"We need to talk baby brother." Merle's voice was at his ear and he could feel the vibrations of his anger raging against his side. Daryl didn't want to deal with this shit either, whatever the hell it was that Merle wanted to say he had no doubt it would leave the two of them rolling around on the ground trading punches like it always seemed to happen.

"Aint in the mood for your shit Merle." He growled and moved towards the door only to have his arm be locked in a powerful grip and felt his body being tugged back into the chest of his brother.

"Make fuckin time." With that he was released and Merle was heading back to their cell block not bothering to listen to any more of Daryl's words.

"Whatever it is, it's eating at him," came the soft voice of his only relief in this fucked up ring of his own personal hell.

"It can fucking wait, I'm tired of this shit of his shit too. Can't go a day without some shit landing on our heads and there's still shit to do and mouths to feed. I aint got the time to babysit." He growled and moved to make his way out the door once more only to feel another hand gripping him and keeping him from his escape. The growl that left him was deadly in its potency yet the grip only tightened on his arm until he would finally let his head turn and look down into the cold steel gaze of the one person on this planet that could steal away his fury and center him.

"That's a lot of shit there Dixon." Carol couldn't help but tease him, her blue eyes laughing up into the feral eyes of her hunter letting her smile slowly curve at her lips until she saw the answering quirk at the corner of his mouth.

"Shut the hell up woman you know what I mean." Daryl grumbled to her but he felt the anger slowly bleeding from him the longer he looked into her eyes and felt her hand on his arm. Before he even realized it he was matching his breathing with hers until that raw energy was finally simmering down.

"I do, and your right but that doesn't mean that you don't need to go talk to him. Something is plaguing him and he's only going to act out further until he gets it off his chest." Carol grinned, letting her hand move to his chest now that he was calm yet her soothing strokes never faltered. He was like a wild wolf that was being forced to be domesticated, caught in a cage. He wanted out in the woods, away from the stifling oppression of four walls and people to answer too. She wanted nothing more than to give him that but first he had to talk to his brother.

"You become some sort of expert on my brother suddenly?" he asked as his hands lowered to her hips and slowly drew her up closer to him, not stopping her hand's movements, instead he'd lean into them allowing her to sooth the beast inside.

"Actually yes, I'm an expert on everything Dixon, now go talk to your brother." Carol would wink, teasing him playfully and smiled when she was awarded with his chuckle. It wasn't often that she was able to get a laugh out of him so each one was like a small victory and it showed in the glow that came over her features as the sound rumbled from his chest to hers.

"When the hell did you get so bossy?" he grumbled and narrowed his eyes at her trying to look intimidating and put out but apparently the look didn't come across how he wanted because she would merely smile and reach up to brush a lock of his hair away from his eyes.

"Oh sunshine, you like it when I'm bossy." She'd allow her lips to curve into a devious smile that only grew when she felt the rumble of his silent growl before her smile was lost somewhere between his lips and hers. Her hand slid back to the nape of his neck, tangling her small fingers in the course strands of his hair, lifting herself up on her toes to deepen the embrace. It was a hard thing to do, harder than just about anything she'd done since watching her daughter be put down but she forced herself back from him and smiled pointing towards the door where Merle had disappeared.

No further words were needed and though it was obvious that Daryl didn't want to do as she wanted him too, he would reach and bring their foreheads together, breathing her in to help try and steady his temper, knowing Merle was only going to bring it up again before he released her and made his way out the door.

"So…you and Dixon…can't say I really saw that one coming." Andrea's voice came from behind her causing Carol to turn and face her. There was nothing snide in her tone, nothing judgmental and it was because of that that Carol found herself relaxing and smiling at her old friend. She could handle simple curiosity, it was better than open hostility.

"Yea well, I don't miss that vibrator no more." Carol winked causing Andrea's eyes to widen, shock masking her features before a laugh was forced from her, ripping free of her until Carol was helpless but to join her and soon the tension between the two women was slipping and melting away leaving the past few months behind them along with everything else going on in the present.

"Oh jesus I needed that." Andrea laughed as she wiped at her eyes and moved to take a seat on the table that the Dixon males had just vacated. Sensing her friend needed her Carol would ease herself up next to her and simply waited for the blond to get to it. Andrea was always like this, brimming with so many thoughts and opinions that it took her a moment to sort through it all and finally decide what it was that she was going to say.

While she waited Carol would let her gaze travel over the grey walls and leaned back on her hands. Who would have ever imagined that a prison would be something people were willing to fight over, to die over? She thought back to all those childhood preaching's of good behavior and avoiding places like this. Now they were about to go to war for it, and that's what it would be unless someone came up with a plan besides talking.

She might not have known anything about the governor, not like Andrea and Merle but she knew the type of man he was. Ed had been friends with plenty of men like him, hell it wouldn't surprise her if she hadn't met him before; now that she thought about it. Evil seemed to run in the same circles after all. She wondered if Andrea would feel the same loathing and self disgust that she felt and still feels every time she thinks about how deeply she'd allowed herself to be fooled. To believe that there was more to Ed than the sick bastard that he was.

She often found herself wondering how she could have ever allowed herself to continue on the same cycle that had ended her mother's life. How she could go from being so desperate to escape her daddy, to jumping right into the arms of a monster worse than anything her daddy ever attempted at playing. At least her father hadn't looked at his own flesh and blood the way Ed had. Just the thought alone had her stomach churning with disgust. She'd done what she could to keep Sophia away from Ed, never allowing them to be alone but the knowledge that she'd known…known that bastard was wanting her and she hadn't left…that was a sin she'd carry with her even after she was dead.

Why hadn't she buried that bastard under the rose bushes like she always dreamed? Then again if she had she wouldn't have gotten the pleasure of burying that axe deep into his skull and nor would she have ever met Daryl. No matter the result, she'd never wish for something that would take her away from him. It simply wasn't worth it. Ed had gotten what he deserved in the end and her baby was safe from him, from all of this. Things, no matter how painful, always worked out how they were meant too. She had to believe that, it was the last ounce of faith that she had left and she couldn't lose it.

"Merle's right." Andrea sighed heavily as if saying those words cost her a great deal and she had no doubt that it did. That woman had pride about a canyon wide and Merle was the type of asshole that would love nothing more than to rub it in her face if he ever got the chance.

"What made you change your mind?" She found herself asking curiously not that it really mattered. She'd known all along that Merle was right but she found she wanted to know what it was that had swung the blond lawyer's argument to his side.

"Honestly, and if you ever tell him this so help me god Carol I'll kill you in your sleep," Andrea hissed and rolled her eyes when Carol merely smiled. She'd have to get past her hunter, but she decided she didn't need to state it out loud it was obvious that Andrea caught her thoughts in her smile. "yea yea, I know. Anyway it was the simple fact that he made valid points. What do I know of Phillip? Michonne didn't like him, not even in the very beginning. She left and asked me to go and I told her no. I stayed with a man that fired openly at my family. What type of person does that make me Carol? That I'd blissfully ignore everything just to feel wanted, needed?"

Carol sighed as she listened to her friend. There were a lot of answers that she could give to that question, ranging from understanding to brutally honest. She wanted to comfort her friend but perhaps that was part of Andrea's problem. She always had someone being that understanding shoulder, allowing her to act stupid and feel like it was okay to do so. First it was Amy, and then it was Dale and now Michonne. Andrea didn't need another person holding her hand and telling her it was all going to be okay.

"An idiot." Carol decided on answering her bluntly and ignored the quick suck in of breath from the woman beside her. "You purposefully put not only yourself in danger but our family as well. You stayed with a man despite the fact that you knew he had taken Glen and Maggie, you were going to watch as Daryl and Merle killed each other and you stood there and watched as he left Merle on a cliff to die and then you strolled into the prison and became a tool used to lure us into a trap. You are the very definition of the word idiot." Carol would sigh then and turned her head to meet Andrea's gaze. "That being said, you wouldn't be the first, and you won't be the last."

"So what do I do? How do I make it right?" Andrea asked and Carol saw genuine remorse there in her gaze and it was for that reason alone that she actually smiled and reached out taking the woman's hand to give it a squeeze.

"I don't know I'm still dealing with that myself. All we can do is be smarter, be stronger than we were before. I'm lucky, I got Daryl to guide me to keep me from being an idiot again but even if he wasn't there I'd still be making amends for all the things I allowed to happen." Carol's pale orbs would bore into Andrea's and remain there till she saw the woman's shoulders straighten and strength enter her gaze once more.

"Do you think you'll ever fully forgive yourself?" Andrea asked, knowing where Carol's mind had strayed, her own hand squeezing hers back, offering the same comfort that she'd just given her.

"No, and I don't ever think I should. Keeps me from making the same mistakes."

"You think those two will listen to anything Rick or the rest of the group has to say about this meeting?" Andrea asked, changing the topic to give both of them a break from their self loathing.

Carol would laugh then and gave a shake of her head. "Not a single word unless it matches the plan their up there hashing right now."

Andrea would grin and looked towards the door the two Dixon's had exited and smirked. "Good. You knew that's what Merle wanted to talk about, that's why you pressed him to go after him." Andrea stated, not a question and it caused Carol to smirk once more.

"Talking hasn't ever gotten us anywhere. The time for sitting around and debating things is over. Those two men know what it means to let action do the talking. The Governor needs to pay for what he's done, what he's tried to do and if Rick doesn't have the stomach for it, then my two boys do." She'd purr the last not even realizing there was a darkness that came over her eyes and features that had Andrea raising an eyebrow as she studied her.

"Well if it comes down to it; just know that I'm team Dixon, even if Merle is a rank bastard that pisses me off more times and in more ways than I can even begin to count." Andrea smirked causing Carol to laugh. At this point was there any other team to be on?


	14. The Plan

Daryl made his way up to his old perch seeing his brother pacing like the caged animal he'd been feeling in himself and sighed seeing Carol had been right. Something was eating his ass and he was going to be a pain in one until it got settled. He could hear the low murmurings of Maggie and Glen behind the sheet to their cell but paid it little mind instead forcing himself up the stairs until he was coming to rest against the railing of the perch his eyes watching his brother while he chewed on his thumb nail waiting him out.

"You know this sittin round waitin is some bullshit right little brother? That bastard…ya'll aint got a damn clue what he's capable of." Merle snarled, pausing in his pacing to glare at his brother before picking it back up along with his raging thoughts. "Ya'll aint seen what he does; what he lets his men do."

Daryl would look up when he heard those last words and studied his brother with a more focused eye. If he didn't know no better he'd swear that was a look of guilt on his brothers face and he had to wonder if he'd hit his head somewhere between the meeting and this moment cause in all his life he hadn't ever seen that look but one other time and that was in the woods when he'd finally gotten a good look at his back.

Yet as much as he wanted to argue and say he wasn't seeing that look now he knew it wasn't so. His brother had a new demon riding in his skin that had the name of the Governor on it and he felt his body growing tense, his eyes narrowing as he squared off with his brother. "What the hell d'you do Merle?"

"Don't look at me like that…I did what I had ta, to survive. I wasn't no saint before all this shit went down and I aint got no better since …but" Merle stopped and snarled as he slammed his remaining fist into the wall and Daryl frowned, unable to remember a time he'd seen his brother like this.

"Merle," Daryl started but was interrupted with a shout.

"Shut up just…just shut up you don't know!" Merle's eyes turned wild and heated causing Daryl to tense up and watch him with the eyes of animal prepared for an attack. He looked so damn much like their daddy right then that Daryl couldn't help the reaction. He wanted to reach out to his brother, to comfort him but he didn't know how, knew that if he tried he'd be feeling all that wrath directed right towards him.

"Well then tell me!" he shouted back and though he wanted to shrink back when his brother turned and sent those wild eyes towards him he didn't back down and held them with his own refusing to cower down to him anymore. Merle wasn't the same as he once been but neither was he. He wasn't going to just be Merles bitch no more. "How the hell am I supposed to know when you just keep talkin in half sentences dumbass tryin to be all mysterious and shit!"

"Listen here ya little fucker…"

"No you listen to me! Just get out what the fuck you wanna say so we can get past this shit. I aint got time to be babysittin your ass all damn day." Daryl snarled right back and honestly he expected a fight, was even prepared for the blow he knew would be coming his way only to blink in surprise as his brother simply collapsed down the wall, his legs bent and his head hanging loosely between the arms he had rested on his knees.

He wasn't expecting to see his brother give in so quickly, like the weight of something had been bogging him down so long he was weak and desperate to get it off him. Dixon's weren't no weak ass pussy's that shared in their thoughts and feelings, especially with eachother, so to see his brother so broken it frankly scared the shit out of him.

"The groups that didn't surrender, hell any of the ones that held anything we wanted that he saw no use in bringing back he'd have us kill them, every last one of them. Didn't matter if it was man, woman or child and not all of them went easy. Sometimes the men would fancy one of the women, take turns with her…"

"You son of a bitch!" Daryl yelled moving towards his brother with the wrath of an avenging god, his hands fisting in his brothers shirt and lifting him up physically by the material.

"I didn't! Fuck I couldn't. I may be a sorry piece of shit but you know I aint ever hurt a woman like that. Not then and I aint startin now. But I didn't stop it…I couldn't so I just got piss drunk and pretended it wasn't happenin. There was one though, I swear brother… I swear I tried. Pretty little thing, couldn't been no more than Beth's age and pregnant. I don't think she got that way by choice; there was a vacant look in her gaze even as they came at her, and she didn't even try to fight them off. "

Daryl let his brother go as if he were touching fire and backed up until he fell against the railing once more, his stomach churning, his throat burning with the taste of vomit at the very idea of what his brother was telling him. He wanted to tell him to shut his damn mouth but couldn't seem to form the words. He turned his back to his brother and hung his head between his arms as he rests them on the railing.

"I went after them, there was about ten in the group, had Martinez been there I might have been able to do something, he'd have helped but as it were I wasn't no match. They … they knocked me out and tied me up. There were moments I'd come to and hear her screamin and them laughin before I'd pass back out. Went on for hours. When I finally managed to stay awake ol one eye was there, joining in the fun. They raped that girl till she miscarried then kept her tied and watched as her baby killed her from the inside. That man…there can't be no compromise, can't be no lil meetin with him, not if you want your people to live, not if you don't want them takin turns with the women, with your woman and they will."

When Daryl didn't say anything Merle would reach out and force his brother to turn and face him. "You listenin?! He aint gonna just leave ya'll alone. If you don't kill him now then he's gonna keep coming with bigger guns and more people and eventually this place is gonna fall just like they all did and then we're all fucking dead."

"Why didn't you say this downstairs?" the soft whisper of Maggie's voice causing both brothers to jerk in surprise having forgotten the couple downstairs. Now both Maggie and Glen were there, their features twisted in the same mask of helpless rage and disgust as both the brothers, remaining by the stairs but were now on the perch with them.

Merle scoffed and released his brother taking a step back; his guard coming back up now with their presence but Daryl could still see the torment still there in his eyes. "So you guys would have even more reason to get rid of me. I know you do gooders, you'd pass your judgment then ol Merle would be kicked out or killed for being a danger. I aint hiding from what I done or didn't do. I heard countless screams for help and mercy and didn't lift a damn finger, I aint no better than them. But if you think I'm goin anywhere without knowin my baby brother and his woman is safe then you got another thing comin!"

Maggie would stare at him a moment, watching the guilt and anguish eating up this man who had surrendered her over to the same man he was warning them against now. She wanted to hate him, part of her still did when she thought of what he'd done to Glen but her Daddy had made a point when he'd come to talk to her and Glen earlier. Merle had been a broken man; the same abuse that Daryl had suffered Merle had suffered first, before the end of the world. After the end of the world he was drugged out, wounded and alone when the Governor had found him.

When the spirit and mind was broken it allowed you to sink to lower depths than you could ever imagine because you didn't believe you were good enough to rise up out of the mire. But he'd told them about the man quoting scripture, reminded them of how he'd looked after his brother in the best way that he knew how. Merle Dixon wasn't a good man but despite all his actions that didn't mean there wasn't good inside him.

They hadn't meant to eavesdrop but with the two rednecks yelling their anger to the world it was hard not to listen. They had sat there in disgust as they'd listened to the fate of that young girl, Maggie's mind picturing Beth's face and it caused an agony inside that she couldn't stand. Merle, for all the hate and ugliness of his soul had found even his own limits and he'd tried to save her. There was still goodness inside, Maggie just had a feeling he hadn't ever been shown how to let it out, that it was okay to do so.

"You're a piece of shit Merle, you aint gonna find a single person here to tell you otherwise…but you tried." Maggie stepped up to the older Dixon and even though all three men tensed she didn't let it stop her until she was right there in his space and with a release of her breath she leaned up on her toes, wrapped her arms around the brutal man's neck and hugged him fiercely having a feeling, a heaviness in her heart that he had never had one before.

"Maggie…" Glen hissed warningly but didn't try and stop her or pull her back. He watched Merle closely, prepared to put him down even with Daryl right there if he so much as harmed a hair on Maggie's head. Yet casting his eyes to Daryl he saw the same worry and concern there and released a breath. At least he wasn't going to die by an arrow.

Both men watched, prepared for the worst and Daryl could sense the need to push the girl away as Merle's body went rigid and refused to return the embrace but he was also watching close enough to see the effect that hug on him had. Maggie had balls of steel he'd give her that but what she had done was one of the stupidest moves he'd seen in a long time. He'll even Carol had more caution with him back then than Maggie did.

"You're forgiven Merle, for everything." Daryl heard Maggie's whisper and cast his eyes to Glen with a raised eyebrow. He saw the frustration in the Korean man's gaze, it seemed some wasn't as forgiving as the farmer's daughter but he didn't blame Glen. Had Merle done that to him, had he placed Carol in such a position he'd already have been dead, aint no discussin it.

He kept expecting Merle to push Maggie back but he didn't and it was then that Daryl realized his brother had lowered his head into her shoulder. If he didn't know better he'd say his brother was actually crying but he did know better. Even in his weakest of moments Merle Dixon would never cry in front of a woman, let alone two grown ass men.

His suspicions were confirmed when Merle winked over his shoulder at him and placed his remaining hand on Maggie's back and began to roam downwards.

"Merle move that hand even a breath lower and see if you won't be tying your shoes with your teeth," Maggie warned and to the relief of both Daryl and Glen, Merle actually listened and eased the young woman out from his body with a deep laugh.

"Well hell sweetheart, you were the one tossin yourself at ol Merle, thought I was just returnin the favor." He teased her with a suggestive wink

Glen would reach for Maggie then and drew her to his side with a glare towards the older Dixon cutting through the argument brewing between the woman and the perv and instead turned his attention back to what had drawn them up there to begin with. "Rick's not going to listen so long as Andrea is buzzing around in his ear and everyone is telling him what to do. We need to let him do his thing; keep up the pretense of being good little soldiers and come up with our own plan."

Merle found himself surprised that Glen would even contemplate working with him especially after just trying to feel up his woman but something told Merle that Glen was a lot more than people gave him credit for and hell if he were honest with himself, he kinda liked the balls on the kid.

"Rick aint gonna like this none." Daryl warned, not saying he disagreed but just letting people know where they would more than likely be standing when Rick learned the truth of what they did here today. It was a damn sobering thought to the three of them while Merle would look on it more as a challenge, eager to see the deputy sheriff unravel completely.

"Fuck Officer Friendly, that boy don't have a fuckin clue on what it takes to survive the governor. He'd be dead before he even planted his ass at the table. We have to make sure that all threats to the group are eliminated." Merle grumbled.

"Yea but how?" Glen asked the million dollar question stuck going round and round in everyone else's mind.

"We follow Rick to that meeting, we go in and take out any threat and then we take the governor out. No trials, no sittin around and talkin about it all damn day. We go there, we kill him and then we deal with a pissed off Rick." Daryl stated from around his thumbnail, not realizing it had wormed its way back to his mouth despite Carol trying to break him of the habit. "This aint no damn dictatorship, we don't answer to him on every decision we make. He wants to hang his ass out there for the Governor then that's fine, but we're gonna keep ours safe."

"You think we can trust Michonne?" Maggie asked, thinking about how desperately the woman wanted the Governors head, "Andrea's been talking to her what if she thinks it's gonna work?"

"Aint none of you women comin sugartits, so it don't matter none." Merle stated, laying down a law that no amount of fire he saw in Maggie's eyes was gonna change. Glen almost gave him a thankful expression making Merle shake his head at his whipped condition.

"But I'm a good fighter, I can…"

"Don't' matter. If we fail, if he thinks for one second this might be something we have planned, he won't hesitate on striking us down and takin you women and believe me you would rather be dead than have that happen. He's got a building outside of Woodbury where he does all his dirt, that's where he'll be havin the meeting. Rick's going to be allowed to bring three people. Daryl will be one, let him pick the other but Glen you make sure you're the other person. I'll follow behind. While Rick and ol one eye is in there chattin it up, we'll take care of who he brought with him and then when it's all clear we go in there and we blow that son of a bitch to hell where he belongs. Sound good boys and girls?"

Daryl, Maggie and Glen each looked from him to one another trying to find holes in the plan and there were plenty but that wasn't what worried them. Their group had survived as long as it had because they were quick on their feet and able to maneuver and fight in any situation. Even if shit went down not like they planned they would be coming home to their people and they'd be carrying the Governor's head with them.

"What about Andrea." Maggie asked suddenly remembering her and her heated anger at anyone questioning the man she was bedding. "She believes him and he's going to be expecting her, we can't just stroll in there without her and him not be suspicious"

"You leave Blondie up to me sugar…," he paused in his comment at her heated glare and smirked, "sweetheart, I think it's about time that girl got her head out of her ass and fully comprehends who exactly she spread her legs for."

Daryl frowned at that and shook his head. "Nah, I don't think that's a good idea. You two will either kill each other or fuck each other and either way I don't want either to happen. Maybe Carol can talk to her; they were friends in the Quarry and on the farm."

"Ah now that aint no fun baby brother, you're getting your dick wet why can't I? Besides you know she wants it right, don't tell me you didn't see the way she was eyeing me up earlier?"

"Like she wanted to kill you, maim you and feed you to the walkers?" Glen asked with a smirk unable to believe Merle's audacity. Andrea had even threatened to castrate him under her breath and this fool actually thought he was gonna get lucky! Then again…she didn't exactly have the best track record with men…"Yea I'm with Daryl, I say we let Carol handle Andrea." He'd nod quickly and something on his face must have been a little green cause Daryl gave a nod of complete understanding.

"Well fine then short round, take all the fun away from me but you mark my words, that tight little ass is gonna be ridin me like a pogo stick before too long."

"I think Merle is right…." Maggie's voice cut through the men's voices causing all three pairs to turn to her in surprise yet there was a devious smile playing on her features. "I think he should be the one to talk to Andrea. No one knows him like Merle, Carol would just be repeating what she's been told and Andrea would look at it as hearsay. No, let Merle handle her."

"But…Maggie…"Glen tried even as Daryl shook his head.

Maggie would hear none of it though and instead smirked as she continued to gaze into Merle's blue eyes. Oh yea, Merle was right, it was gonna happen no matter how much Glen and Daryl protested, she could see the fire leaping between them at the meeting. But if there was anyone in the group that could handle Merle Dixon besides Carol, it would be Andrea. She hoped they tore each other to shreds. She might have forgiven them but she didn't forget and she thought the best punishment for the both of them for what they did and didn't do when she and Glen had been captured, was to have to put up with each other from here on out.


	15. Meant to Be Yours

Carol's cold grey blue eyes stared out at the growing population of walkers that were pressing at the fences. They were doing what they could to keep it under control but she could see the strain on them from the press of so many bodies. The gunfire of a couple days ago was still drawing walkers to the prison and no matter how long it seemed they did rounds to clear them out, they just kept coming. If they didn't come up with a solution those fences weren't going to hold.

If that wasn't bad enough there was still the looming threat of another attack from Woodbury, she didn't believe in this meeting any more than Merle had and she wouldn't be surprised if the Governor didn't try and catch them with their pants around their ankles. Her gaze would move as her body did, casually making her rounds along the tower her body tense and her nerves on high alert. They were starting to surround the prison and it made her nervous. They needed more people, more hands to help with population control. The new group was eager to help them, Sasha and Tyreese more so than the father and son.

She didn't like the look of those two, especially the father. He looked far too nervous for her liking, reminding her of a little weasel, sneaky. She'd told Carl to keep a close eye on them knowing they wouldn't suspect the young boy of anything but trying to make a friend with the older teen. She smirked at that idea. They looked at the boy as harmless and he was anything but. Carl had come a long way from the little boy she'd met at the beginning, no longer just tossing himself carelessly into danger. Did he still go off on his own, unfortunately but now it wasn't because he was clueless, Carl knew better than most of the adults just how much this world wasn't like the one they'd once had. If he did anything reckless anymore it was for the benefit of the group. It wasn't his fault his father seemed to never understand just how to manage the boy.

Not saying she'd do any better. If Sophia were here she'd…delicate features turned wounded at the thought of her daughter but she pressed forward with her thought. She couldn't spend the rest of her life, however short or long it ended up being, thinking about her daughter with nothing but pain. If Sophia was there, there was no telling how Carol would react to her, how she would behave in her pre-teen state. Not only that but she'd have a strong Dixon influence in her by now though the thought brought a smile as she contemplated that train a little bit further.

By now maybe she wouldn't be frightened by her own shadow, by now maybe she'd have a foul mouth on her and a stubborn will she'd seen lurking in her, hidden by her fear of Ed. She realized more and more just how badly she'd messed up at being a mother. She would never know what her daughters true personality was like, she'd been so fearful of her father and his reactions that she reminded her very much of Daryl. She'd allowed that to happen to her daughter and that was nothing she would ever be able to forgive herself for. She liked to think though that she'd gotten a bit of her fire, that had she been there now she'd be as changed as Carol was.

"What's the smile for?"

Carol nearly jumped out of her skin and cursed herself for letting her thoughts run so far away from her that she had missed the sound of heavy boots joining her up in the tower for watch. Her smile wouldn't die though and she didn't bother looking over her shoulder, knowing those boots and that voice anywhere and simply waited on him to join her before responding.

"Thinking about Sophia, wondering what she'd be like now had she made it." She didn't bother hiding the truth of her thoughts, not from the one person that carried her daughter's ghost around with him just as heavily as she did.

"Probably be just as big a pain in my ass as you are." Daryl smirked when he heard the laughter bubble free of the woman that was now by his side as he joined her at the railing.

"Funny I was thinking by now she'd probably be more like you." Carol turned her eyes finally away from the tree line and met his gaze, mischief sparkling in those blue grey depths that let him know she was in a teasing mood.

Daryl scoffed and shook his head, "Don't know why you think that, she weren't my kid." He didn't add that it hadn't mattered then and it wouldn't have mattered now. His kid or not she was Carol's and that's all that mattered to him.

"Wouldn't have mattered," she assured him with a smile as she let her eyes return back to the fences and tree line, though that smile never once left the corner of her lips, "She would have been stuck to you like glue, nagging you with questions wanting to do everything you can do." She knew her daughter, at least in that aspect, and knew that she'd have been just as drawn to the hunter as she'd been. Hell she'd already caught her trying to sneak closer to the Dixon tents before the quarry was overran, her curiosity over weighing her caution as only a child could.

"So she'd be just like her momma then?" Daryl teased causing her to quickly turn her head and give him a playful glare.

"Keep it up pookie, I can always find someone else to shadow…" she let the statement trail out, never really ending, one of her brows going up in silent challenge. She was rewarded almost immediately with his growl and smirked in victory. "That's what I thought."

"Yea yea, quit your glowin." Daryl grumbled not bothering to try and hide the possessive note even he'd heard in that sound that had snarled out of him. The idea of Carol being like she was with anyone besides him didn't sit right with him, not one bit. "Surprised ya aint asked about Merle yet." He changed the topic quickly and peaked up from the curtain of his hair to see if she'd caught the swift change, frowning at her smile knowing she had but breathed a bit in relief when she let it go. Damn woman could tease him mercilessly when she had the mind too.

"Figured you'd get around to it on your own sweet time like everything else." Carol grinned brighter and laughed when she received another growl from him, delighted at the progress he'd made. There was a time that anyone even remotely trying to tease the younger Dixon would have resulted in an arrow in the ass, now he had learned to take it in stride even if he did reach his limit quicker than most, still at least he allowed it now.

"Smartass." Daryl grumbled and shook his head giving her a sideways glance and saw his words had no effect, if anything it only made that annoying smile of hers grow bigger. If she was this damn annoying; he could only imagine what he'd have to suffer if he had to deal with Carol and Sophia both. Because like she said, it didn't matter none that Sophia weren't his, he'd have taken that girl under his wing and made a warrior out of her. If he'd found her in time he'd have made sure she knew how to protect herself from then on.

Carol remained silent for a moment, pursing her lips in amusement as she gave him time to get his thoughts together, knowing it would take him a moment to settle down from her teasing. While she waited she shifted closer to him till their arms were brushing against each other, taking advantage of the fact that she could touch him now, freely and in what ways she wanted. She still made sure not to come on too strongly though, easing him into it as much as she could.

Daryl noticed the shifting and smirked shaking his head at the woman. This morning she'd taken him in hand, took him into her body and she still acted like he was gonna be skittish with her. There would be times she caught him off guard and he'd flinch he knew himself well enough to know that, but she was his now, there was no going back from that and he'd be damned if his past kept him from enjoying the ability to touch her however he wanted, knowing that she was his.

"I aint gonna freak out if you get close Carol, I think we're a little past that point now dontcha think?" he'd ask with a little upturn of his lips in his typical smirk he used just for her.

"Yea well forgive me, next time I'll just pounce you and attack you wherever I damn well please then." She'd remark, keeping her face clear of any amusement, looking as serious as a heart attack but it was so hard when he got that panicked look on his face. Daryl Dixon might not be as skittish when they were alone, but he was still as nervous as a schoolboy when it came to public displays. Not that she exactly wanted to be groped in front of everybody but she wouldn't exactly stop him if he wanted too. She was just as private as he was but like hell she'd ever deny him putting his hands on her, audience or no.

"Stop," he'd rasp out, his blue eyes continually looking at her as if to see if the threat was serious or not. She let him hang there for a little bit before she finally relented and gave a tiny smirk that had his shoulders slouching with relief making her giggle. "You aint right." He griped making her laugh out loud.

"Hey, you're the one saying we're past the point of holding back." She said in her defense, her amusement only growing when she heard his growl. "Alright alright, down boy, so what's the plan?" She didn't bother hiding the fact that she had known all along what Merle had wanted, there wasn't a point in it besides, Daryl and her didn't hide shit. They dealt with it even when they didn't want to and got past it, lies and secrets only poisoned you.

"Figured as much," he snorted and leaned against the railing on his arms and looked out at the tree line. "We're gonna make a move at the meetin, Rick don't need ta know but that bastard can't live and I'll be damned if we make a compromise to that man. We aint kneelin for no one certainly not that fucker."

There was a depth of hate in his voice that Carol hadn't heard often. Something was bothering her hunter, weighing on his mind and she knew it was more than just the recent attack. Stepping even closer, her warmth seeping into him she'd lift a hand and gently pushed his mop of wild hair away from his eyes, smiling despite the topic when he remained where he was and didn't seemed to mind her touch at all. "What happened?"

"Bastard lets his men rape women but they don't just take em all, they take one to pass around between them. Merle he aint ever had no part in it but he didn't stop it neither not till they took a girl, bout Beth's age." He paused in his words and turned his head as he fought to control his rising temper and disgust just thinking about it but the hand that now fell to stroking up and down over his scarred back soothed him and gave him the strength to press on. "She'd been raped before, was carryin a baby was about to pop. They took turns with her, hours…days don't matter none but they raped that girl till the trauma killed her baby and then watched as it killed her from the inside. Merle tried to help her but couldn't."

Carol's hand had ceased its soothing strokes, remaining frozen as she listened to the end of the tale. She didn't even know why she was surprised. Some men were the very scum of humanity, her husband had raped her for years had even looked sickly on his own daughter but somehow…the thought of what that poor little girl had gone through it just felt worse somehow. "He alright?" she'd ask thinking of the older Dixon. He might be gruff and rough but the man still had a heart and it was obvious that this was weighing on him if he'd actually spoke to Daryl about it.

"Yea, he's back to acting like an asshole." Daryl would grumble but there was relief in his gaze. He hadn't liked seeing his brother like that. He was used to Merle being piss and vinegar, that wounded look in his eyes, the guilt of not being able to do nothing for that girl, it was just too much for Daryl.

"Good. I don't think I'd know how to handle him being any other way." Carol grinned causing Daryl to smirk and give a nod of his head, grateful she understood.

"Aint ya gonna ask about what we got planned?" Daryl questioned, looking over at his woman, sure that she had a million and one things going on in that brain of hers but was surprised when she gave a shrug of her shoulder.

"I figure it's something simple, Merle is planning it after all but it doesn't matter. I know Merle, he wouldn't do anything to put you in a situation that he thought that he couldn't handle and got you hurt. Not sayin it hasn't happened, but I know he don't intend for it too. But you're not exactly that kid he left behind. You're honestly more capable than he is. I figure Glen's involved somehow because you don't trust Tyresse yet and Hershel and Carl are out for obvious reasons. With Glen there I know he won't leave you behind so no. I don't need the details."

"Got it all figured out huh woman?" Daryl smirked as he shook his head, of course she'd know what they had planned even before they planned it. The woman had some freaky ass powers some times. Everyone laughed when he said that but Glen got it, she'd used them on him enough times for him to get what he was feeling. "Merle's gonna talk to Andrea, try to get her to see reason…" he still didn't want to think about that because he knew exactly how his brother was gonna try to make her see it. When Carol laughed he'd turn his gaze back to hers and raised a brow.

"Well he doesn't need too, Andrea's already figured out she was wrong about the Governor." Carol said with a smile having missed the look on Daryl's face as she focused her attention on the tree line, frowning when she saw movement in the deep shadows. Her body tensed and she knew the instant Daryl felt it because he tensed as well and turned his attention to where she was lookin.

"What ya see?"

"Not sure, some movement that didn't look right." She lifted her rifle to look at the spot through the scope and frowned when she was able to make out a man's shape but he was covered enough by shadows and tree branches that she couldn't make out any details. "Someone's out there."

Daryl motioned with his hand and she handed the rifle over without hesitation letting him lift it up himself thinking maybe he could see more details than she could. "You think it's one of the Governor's men?" she questioned as he continued to focus on the man. He remained quiet for awhile and though she'd learned to not rush him, it was itchin at her to press for an answer. Instead of giving her one he'd hand her back her rifle and lifted his bow instead. Without a word he let a bolt fly causing her to blink.

She expected to hear a shout of pain, to see a body falling out of the shadows when nothing happened she'd lift her rifle once more and gazed out of the scope only to see the male figure gone with an arrow planted firmly in the tree right above where he was.

"He aint there no more, wanted him to know we seen him and I aint sure but it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't have some eyes on this place. We would."

"You think they're planning on something before this meeting is supposed to take place?" Carol couldn't help but ask, knowing he knew as little as she did as to what could be going on in that animals mind but still wanting to know his thoughts as she finally lowered her rifle and looked over at him.

"Nah, way Merle talked he liked to strut his power. He's lookin at makin a show of how smart and powerful he is, he's wantin to make Rick lower himself down before him."

"That wouldn't happen, even if you didn't have a plan. Rick would never do something like that." Carol might not agree with a lot of what Rick had to say now-a-days but that didn't mean she still didn't know and love the man. Even when he was wrong, his thoughts were of the safety and welfare of the group and you couldn't fault him for making mistakes. To meet with the Governor was a mistake, to walk out of there without the intention of blowing him away was a mistake, but no matter what she knew without a doubt that Rick would never submit to anyone, especially to someone threatening his family.

"Nah, Rick wouldn't give him the real time of day. I think this is more a pissing contest really than anything else. Rick wants a chance to show he aint scared of him and I get that, but I aint leavin it to chance. That bastard aint fit to walk this earth, I'd rather see it overran with walkers than think people like him was alive and walkin it too."

"You prepared for the fallout?" Carol would ask, knowing that when it was all said and done Rick would be furious that they had gone behind his back and he might not be the only one.

"I aint scared of Rick, he'll yell he'll throw shit and he'll get over it or he'll back out of the leadership roll completely again until he gets done with his tantrum."

Carol couldn't help but laugh and look at him unable to keep from teasing him. "You know that pretty much described some of your own reaction to things right?"

"I aint ever thrown no tantrum…"he paused remembering the stables and winced making her crow with victory. Instead of letting her continue on her track of teasing him he would instead rush on and change the topic. "So what made Andrea change her mind?"

"You're not smooth Dixon." Carol would tease, leaning her shoulder into his, calling him out on his topic change but she still allowed it. "Honestly it came on pretty sudden, right after I sent ya up to Merle. Said she realized she'd make a mistake, that she's made a lot of them and wants to fix it."

"You believe her?" Daryl asked skeptically, casting his doubtful gaze at her face.

"Honestly…I want too, she seemed genuine about it." Carol would then turned her grey blue gaze to his and frowned. "But until she proves it, I'm going to be keeping an eye on her. I hope she means it though; we could do with having her around. The fences are getting overrun again and even when we get rid of the Governor it won't be long till someone else comes along and wants what we got."

Daryl snorted and gave a nod of his head at that. "Aint much changed from before everything went to shit. People want what they can't have."

Carol couldn't help but nod her head. It was human nature, it was what had brought them this far in evolution. Human beings wanted more, strove to have more, gain more from the first time man stood up and began to roam till now nothing about that had changed. "One things changed."

Daryl didn't voice his question instead he would turn his gaze back to hers, and raised a dark brow silently voicing it instead causing Carol to grin and without missing a beat she'd hum in the back of her throat before answering, "Now at least we can plant an arrow in their ass without worrying about being sued."

Daryl chuckled and gave a nod of his head. "Who knew there'd be reason to actually thank the walkers for something."

Carol smiled and slipped her arm through his before moving to rest her head on his shoulder. She still expected him to move away from her, to tense up. Instead she'd feel the press of his lips against the crown of her head causing her to smile.

"Got at least one more thang to be thankful for, wouldn't have you."

Carol's smile turned radiant at those sweet words. She didn't make a big show of how they made her feel even though her heart had melted right then and there because she didn't have too. Lifting her head and meeting his gaze she saw the understanding in his gaze. He knew she'd been just as neglected when it came to actual tenderness as he had. Her hand lifted again to brush that hair back from his forehead, grinning that they had already fallen back from her last attempt.

"Yea you would. Walkers or no walkers, I was meant to be yours Daryl Dixon. We'd just have to hide the body really really good." Carol would wink causing Daryl to roll his eyes with a snort.

"You was meant for a lot better than me Carol, I just got lucky." And he meant that, Carol was meant for amazing and wonderful things, not being stuck with some redneck asshole. It was one thing, livin how they were. He could offer her something, provide with his own two hands and protect her. Before the dead started walking though he'd been a piece of shit and wouldn't have been no good for her.

Tisking him Carol would move and brought his head down to brush her lips against his forehead, her fingers soothing through his hair. "There isn't a soul out there better than you Daryl Dixon and one day I'm going to make you see it too." She vowed and he could tell she meant it. There was that stubborn flare in her gaze that had him smirking and leaning down to capture her lips with his, kissing her deep as he pulled her into the shelter of his body.

Even if he still thought she was wrong, he didn't dare voice it. With that look in her eyes he had to believe, if even for the moment, that no matter what, Carol, his Carol wouldn't have given up on him just like she hadn't at the farm, not till he was exactly where she demanded he be. Right here like he was now, with her. Always with her.


	16. Good day to be A Dixon

Carol would be sleeping pretty damn good considering how long it had taken her to fall asleep but it seemed that something was determined to pull her from the slumber. She frowned when she felt the bed shifting as Daryl moved to sit up, remembering to be careful with his head this time. She couldn’t help but smirk at that and sat up as well, leaning heavily into his back as she tried to transition from the sleeping world to the land of the living. At her loud and long yawn she’d feel her hunter chuckling.

“Go back to bed woman.” His gruff voice feeling the small cell making her smile and shake her head against his back which only made him chuckle once more. “You aint gonna be fit for shit if you don’t go back to sleep.” He warned.

“And if you honestly believe that I’d be able to sleep with you out there then you don’t know me very well at all.” She’d grumble into his back, her arms moving to slide around his waist as her chin settles on his shoulder. “Was the meeting really planned this early or is there another reason we’re up? There better be by the way.” She continued her grumbling only making him more amused.

“And here I always thought you were a morning person.” He smirked, letting a hand fall awkwardly to rest atop hers. For all his cravings for her touch sometimes he had to remind himself that it was okay to touch her, determined that one day there’d be no hesitation, no drawing back from surprise and by god there’d be no more damn flinching. “Nah it aint for awhile yet, thought I’d go hunting with Merle before we left.”

“You mean go check out the meeting place and get things ready, scoping out all the best places?” she smirked and shook her head. Surely he knew her better than to believe that they would just willingly head into some unknown area without at first scoping it out.

It was his turn to grumble and turn his head to cast a glare over his shoulder at her, rolling his eyes at her smug face. “Think you’re just so damn smart dontcha.” He couldn’t help the chuckle that left him when she quickly gave a nod of her head digging her chin into his flesh for a moment.

“Yep.” She made sure to let that P pop like she’d often heard Beth do and only laughed when he narrowed his glare at her all the more. “Aww come on Pookie, you really don’t make it all that hard to figure you two out.” She stole a quick kiss, tasting his playful growl.

“As much as it kills me to interrupt you getting laid …finally, we aint got the time to be puttin it to her, got shit to do Darlene.” Merle’s voice interrupted the quiet moment between the couple causing both of them to huff in frustration before Daryl turned his head and met his brother’s smug smile as Carol made her way to sit beside him on the bed.

“And as much as I wish I’d have voted to have you be locked in a cell I hate to admit he’s right. Ya’ll better get a move on if you want to be back before they head out for the meeting.” Carol smirked and the smile only grew when Merle’s lips twitched as well.

“Aint that what I just said? Course I’m right, now come on little brother, sides sounds to me like lil sis here was bein annoyin.” Merle joked.

Unable to tell if she was more pleased by the ‘lil sis’ comment than she was irked at the annoying one. In the end she just settled on a suitable glare that didn’t have the eldest brother backing down one bit. If anything his smirk only grew further as Daryl chuckled.

“He’s got a point there.” He teased causing her to gasp and give his shoulder a push. “I’ll remind you of that later when you both come in lookin for a hot meal!” she hissed playfully at them both.

“Would you stop threaten a man where it hurts, first with the laundry and now with food.” Daryl would continue and she couldn’t help but giggle at the eyebrow that Merle raised at the pair of them.

“Well…she can’t threaten ya dick like most women do lil brother, it’s all fresh; new and shiny she aint gonna let nothing happen to ya junk for awhile yet.” Merle would nod his head sagely and it caused Carol to roll her eyes even as Daryl sighed and hung his head as he settled his arms on his knees and just looked at the cement floor.

“I should have left you on that damn cliff.”

“Well…he does have a point.” Carol bit the inside of her cheek to keep her features straight as Daryl looked at her like he couldn’t believe the words came out of her mouth while Merle barked with laughter and slapped his thigh with his remaining hand. 

“Told ya, you’d do better to listen to ol Merle every once in awhile lil brother. Just you wait, won’t be no time at all that the new wears off and then you’ll have your short and curly’s threatened every couple minutes.”

“Nah, even when the new wears off your brother has enough moves to keep me interested for awhile yet. Don’t go placing your own experiences on his shoulders. Maybe they would have protected them longer had you learned some new tricks ….big brother.” Carol smirked at Merle’s narrow eyed glare though she could see the corners of his lips trying to fight back a smile.

“Well that and he probably shouldn’t have got the clap.” Daryl joined in now with the teasing since they both weren’t teamed up on him anymore.

“Hey now we aint got time for this, let’s get a move on while the sun aint up.” He’d turn to leave the doorway of the cell then paused to meet Carol’s gaze. “Stay safe.” He got out before the sheet once more fell down giving them a semblance of privacy once more which they took advantage of by laughing softly together.

“Should I be worried that he accepts me and you so easily? He didn’t strike me as liking to share you with anyone.” Carol asked with a grin as she swayed and eased her shoulder to his giving a tiny push which he returned with a grin of his own.

“Nah, told him all about you on our way back to the prison. Didn’t want him givin you any shit and…I wanted him to know that you was family now no matter what he felt about it.” He’d rise then and began to put on his gear leaving her to watch him with a smile on her face.

“Will I ever get to know just what all you said?” she asked though she knew the answer and it was given by a simple shake of his dark hair which only made her smile grow. “Aww come on, that’s not fair, why does Merle get to know and I don’t?”

“You know damn well why besides wasn’t nothin but the truth. Told him bout Sophia, told him about how you wouldn’t let me go back at the farm, how you took care of me even as I was actin an ass. Told him how far you’d come from when he’d last seen ya and I don’t know… “He’d give a shrug of his shoulders and looked to the knife in his hands before strapping it in place. “Just let him know I’d kill him myself before I saw him hurt you.”

Carol sat there a moment, a little in awe that he’d given her that much and then even more so at the fact he’d said all that to his brother. Merle must have given him hell but it was obvious that the threat he’d given must have been very real to the older man because he’d been treating her like one of their family since he’d arrived. What amazed her even more than that though was the knowledge that he saw her in such a way, that he’d really put her above the brother he’d just got back.

Rising from the bed she moved forward and began to help him pack up what he usually wore hunting knowing without being told that he’d want to keep up appearances with everyone in their group besides those that were in on the plan in some form or fashion.

“Ya know, for someone who claims they don’t know much about women, you really are such a romantic.” She teased him and smirked when she saw that little touch of heat in his cheeks.

“Stop.” He grumbled before swinging his bow over his shoulder and turned as she handed him the last of his knives. At her little giggle he’d roll his eyes and reached up placing a hand at the nape of her neck, drawing her to him with his forehead pressing into hers, eyes focused. “You take care of yourself an little Ass Kicker, same plan. Shit goes bad somehow while we aint here you get yourself and her out of here. Don’t wait for us, we’ll find ya.”

“I know you will, to the ends of the earth right?” she’d grin though there was a shadow to it now that wasn’t there with their earlier teasing. She knew he wasn’t really going out to do anything crazy or dangerous hell he really wasn’t even goin that far, but every time she had to watch him walk out those gates she felt like she aged a year from all the worry she did while he was away.

Daryl seemed to notice and squeezed the nape of her neck until those blue grey eyes of hers would look up into his. “Even further if I gotta…just try not to make it too difficult for me.” He’d tease and smiled when the shadows left her features and once more amusement filled them.

“Oh I don’t know, nothing we ever do is easy Dixon.”

“Nah, but aint nothing in the rulebook that says it can’t change every once in awhile.” He’d tease her back before leaning in to kiss her lips. Even after everything she still was caught off guard every time he touched her so willingly but it sure didn’t take her no time to be sinking into the sensation.

At the bellow of his name they’d break apart and though he growled she couldn’t help but laugh. “Go on then; the quicker you are to leave the faster you can return home so I’ll know you’re safe.”

“I’ll be back, we’ll kill the governor and then I aint leavin again anytime soon.” He promised but frowned when she shook her head at him with a knowing smile.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep Daryl. I know you, if there is a need you’ll be the first to volunteer no matter how either of us really feels about it and that’s okay. It’s one of those things, no matter how bad it kills me it’s still one of the things I love about you. So, get out there and be the apocalyptic badass I know you are.” She’d give him a slap to the backside like she had when she’d called him tiger.

Daryl would shake his head at her, open his mouth to say something then seemed to think better of it and just got out of that cell before he got bellowed at again because damn if there wasn’t something incredibly hot about her teasing him like that.

When he came down from their cellblock and noticed Merle standing there with Rick he couldn’t help but pause and tense, afraid he was about to have to break up an attempted murder.

“Watcha mean ya don’t owe me nothin Friendly, we had a bet and ya lost fair and square.” Merle smirked and crossed his arms over his chest the best he could with his metal prosthetic. 

“Because it aint like we got no money and even if we did what would be the point of it. Encase you haven’t noticed…we’re kind of in the middle of the world gone to shit.” Rick responded calmly, his own arms crossed at his chest and if Daryl didn’t know better he’d say the two men actually looked a little friendly.

“That aint the principle of the matter Friendly, we still had a bet and even if there aint no value in money a bet is still a bet. I figure we can work something else out.” Merle’s smile turned more calculating and Daryl watched as Rick grew tense yet neither seemed to really lose that calm demeanor.

“Whatdoya want Merle?” knowing the man well enough to know he already had something in mind when he’d stopped him asking for what he was owed.

“Keys to the warden’s office.” Merle said simply causing both Rick and Daryl to take on a confused expression and finally Daryl would make his presence known, the curiosity over this whole fucked up situation getting to him.

“What the hell you want those for?”Daryl questioned as he came to join the two men causing both to quickly look in his direction, startled.

“Cause baby brother you got yourself a wife now and from what you told me and from what I’ve gathered while I’ve been here she deserves a hell of a lot more than a twin cot and a cell to sleep in. I aint ever had a lil sister before but I’ll be damned if she’s crammed into a space I’ve gotten way too comfortable in.”

For a moment both Rick and Daryl could just stare at the man unable to believe those words had come out of his mouth. When a few moments ticked by and they still just stared Merle would glare and wave his free hand around. “What?!”

Rick didn’t even know where to begin and looked to Daryl as some sort of psychic that could read his mind and voice those jumped thoughts. Daryl looked back and just shook his head as if he was trying to clear it before they both once more looked to Merle.

“WHAT?!”

“Dude…you’re being nice…it’s creeping them out and frankly I can’t say I’m not a little freaked out myself. Since when has Merle given a damn about being nice to anyone besides Merle Dixon?” Glen’s voice suddenly filled the room causing the three men to turn swiftly to find him stumbling towards them rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Merle looked at the kid and narrowed his eyes even further. “It aint like I’m the most rank bastard in the world! I can be nice.” When all three men scoffed at him he’d flip them off with her free hand. “What? I aint ever had no sister before alright?”

All three men continued to look at him with disbelief causing him to toss his hand and blade in the air and storm out of the room heading outside. “Fuck you guys.”

When the metal door slammed behind the three men left would break out in quiet laughter. Rick would pull the key ring off his belt hoop and searched for the right key.

“You aint gotta do that. If anyone should get the room its Maggie and Glen or hell even you with lil AK.”

“Daryl I never thought I’d say this…ever…but Merle’s right.” Glen spoke for Rick as he continued his search. “Take it from a guy who is only a little further than you on his education of women but Carol would want this, even if she does fight it like you are right now. If you won’t do it for you then do it for her and if you won’t do it for her…”

“Then do it for me and Glen cause brother, we love ya but you sound like a fucking animal in bed.” Rick joked causing Glen to nod his head vigorously.

“Dude I don’t know whether to run away and pretend I heard nothing or run in and make sure that Carol’s not being mauled by a walker. Maggie aint gonna stray too far from Beth and Hershel and we’re used to sneaking around anyway…”

“And me, Judith and Carl have been doin just fine so far with the cell it helps to be right then when she starts cryin. Take the key Daryl. If everything goes down the way I hope today, we can really start making this place a home, maybe even find us some beds and mattresses.”

Glen and Daryl shared a look but neither said anything as far as today was concerned. If it went the way that THEY wanted then they sure as hell would be making this place a home. Daryl hesitantly took the key, giving them one last questioning look before smirking and slipping it in his back pocket for safe keeping then thought better of it and handed it to Glen.

“If I’m gonna do this then I want it to be a surprise and she does the laundry. Put it up for me?” he asked causing Glen to chuckle and nod his head. “Yea no problem. I’ll tell Beth and Maggie both that way there is three pairs of eyes on it to make sure it don’t go anywhere. They’ll be excited to help. I don’t think Carol knows just how much those two love her.”

“Yea, she seems to have a habit of that. Must be something they share in common.” Rick joked causing Daryl to shift about uncomfortably beneath their knowing looks.

“Shit aint gonna hunt itself.” He said as way of goodbye and quickly made to follow after his brother. As soon as he hit the outdoors he saw him leaning against the wall of the building smoking one of the precious cigarettes he’d given him. Walking over he held out his hand and found the cig placed there between his fingers and eagerly took an inhale.

“They give you that damn key?” Merle asked with a bark still obviously a little sore at being ganged up on. Daryl chuckled enjoying it, it wasn’t often in fact never in his memory had he witnessed what he had today and if he were honest, it was a hell of a long time comin. 

“Yea they gave it to me, why you really ask for it anyway?” he questioned as he released the smoke and after taking another drag handed it back to his brother.

“I aint always been the best of brothers to ya…fact is I was a rank ass bastard that deserved a hell of a lot worse than what I got. I shouldn’t have left ya Daryl….”

“Merle I didn’t mean…”

“Yea …you did. And you had a right to say it. She’s been fixin what I left to get broke and she’s actually doing it. I’ll be damned if I see her holding her back or working out a crick in her neck because you got her in weird positions crammed back against that cold wall with your lumbering body keeping her from movin.”

“Merle…”

“Come on Darlene, “ Merle interrupted him by slapping him forcefully on the back letting him know he was done talkin. “We’re burnin day light sittin around talkin like a bunch of pussies. Let’s go make sure this sombitch gets what’s comin to him. It’s gonna be a good day little brother!”

Daryl looked at his brothers back for a moment still in a bit of a daze but quickly falls in step. Maybe his brother was right and for once in their fucked up lives they might actually have a good day for a Dixon.


	17. Freaky Ass Ball of Sunshine

Daryl gave a silent motion for Merle to stop as the distant sound of voices floated to them seconds before Merle heard them himself. Both brothers lowered themselves down behind a large rock and some trees that would offer them the covering they needed as they studied the happenings going on in front of them. They hadn’t expected to find the Governor or his men there and Daryl cast a questioning glance at Merle.

“Don’t look at me, they left me on a cliff remember? Aint exactly key to any plans no more.” he grumbled to the silent question passed his way.

Daryl would sigh and shake his head before motioning for them to move a little closer so they could get a good look at what was happening and maybe even make out some of what was being said. Merle followed behind covering their rear encase some nasty came along and decided that their rumps were prime for chomping down on.

The brothers stalked the tree line, keeping to the protective shadows. Daryl was even more grateful that they’d decided to come check things out before the meeting. Whatever the Governor was up too it was obvious that he had some plan in motion to end this thing the way he wanted. As they edged closer Daryl would pause when he felt the nudge delivered to his arm and looked to meet his brother studying those that he used to work with.

“That guy there that the Governor is dressin down, that’s Martinez. I understand we gotta do what we gotta do to make sure the prison remains in our control, but if it’s at all possible, let that cat live.”

Daryl looked at his brother like he’d grown another head. He kept expecting him to finish with something along the lines of ‘I’ll kill him myself.’ But the words never came. Merle must have felt the confused stare given to him and sighed refusing to meet his little brothers gaze but did answer though it was reluctant.

“The guy saved my ass a few times aight? Even tried to convince the Governor I wasn’t involved in ya’lls little rescue mission. Besides he actually aint that bad. Most of em aint. They’re just either too scared to be on their own outside of Woodbury or too wrapped up in the Governor’s act to see what’s in front of their face. Martinez… he couldn’t stop a lot of the bad happenin but he hid a lot of shit from the Governor, helped a lot of folks out that wouldn’t have had a chance otherwise.”

Daryl couldn’t help but smirk at his brother. “Looks like I aint the only one gone native. You made you a friend.” He teased him and chuckled at the growl that escaped from the older man.

“Keep this up Darlene and I’m gonna regret promising to behave around that woman of yours. I aint much carin for all that sass you suddenly got up in ya.” Merle grumbled but only got a smirk for his efforts.

“Yea you will… cause I aint the one you gotta worry about. She’s a lot more vicious than she looks.” Daryl warned and meant every word. If Merle thought he was the one of the pair that was dangerous he was sadly mistaken. You took one look at him, you pretty much guessed what you’d get but Carol was sneaky. She looked soft and sweet and to an extent she was, but she had ferocity of a lioness when she wanted and Daryl was damn proud of that fiery streak. 

“Bah I aint scared of no mouse. Come on should be able to hear whats goin on if we move further up that way.” Merle moved not giving Daryl time to correct him.

As they came up to the spot it would seem Merle was right as the voices began to actually make sense to the Dixon’s.

“I don’t give a damn how you feel about it Martinez, in fact I’m getting a little sick and tired of you questioning me. Ever since we got rid of Merle you’ve been a pain in my ass. You do as I say…NOW!” He barked making the man in question narrow his eyes but give a nod of his head moving back.

“You…you know maybe he….” A little pencil pushing guy started to squeak out but was halted as soon as the Governor’s one remaining eye turned its glare to him. “I’ll um..just be…over there.”

“How is that guy even still alive?” Daryl asked unable to stop it. He knew a few women that would give him a reproachful glare at his disbelief and easy dismissing of the nerdish man but he just couldn’t help himself. 

Merle chuckled in agreement. “Yea thought the same thing when I met him. Names Milton, he’s another one that aint that bad in fact he’s still pretty squeaky clean, he just keeps his mouth closed on ol One Eye’s actions but can’t says I blame him. After all look at ‘im, if it wasn’t for Woodbury he’d been walker food from the very beginning. He’s smart as hell though. He’s a scientist or something like that. Does crazy experiments on the biters trying to see if he could find a cure.”

Daryl’s eyes widened at that and studied the man from a different perspective. “He get close?”

Merle chuckled and shook his head. “Nah, but gotta give the egg-head credit he won’t give up. He’s made it his own personal mission.”

“Well then, seems like we got two heads to keep an eye out for later. We gotta be sure to tell the others.”

“Why ya wanna keep eggy alive? You think he’ll really be able to find a cure in his mad little science lab?” Merle snorted but paused when Daryl shook his head. 

“Nah, I doubt a cure will ever be made. This shit is just how it is now and we gotta get used to it. But I figure a man with those kinds of smarts might be useful in any number of other things. Hershel, he’s just a vet but he does his best as a doctor, maybe this Milton guy could help him out.”

“You’re assuming they would want to help little brother.” Merle smirked just imagining how Milton would react if his brother even approached him. Hell it had taken him weeks to get the little bastard to look him in the eye, boy’d probably piss his pants if Daryl ever made passing eye contact.

“I think people will do a lot of shit they aint proud of so long as it means stayin alive, but don’t make em bad people. Some just need a little help.”

“And since when you get such a big ol bleedin heart on ya baby brother?” Merle joked.

“Bout the time Carol took a chance on me.” Daryl answered simply, effectively ending his brother’s comments. “You think you could find a way to get a message to that Martinez guy?”

“What the fuck I look like Darlene? A fucking carrier pigeon?” Merle scoffed and simply met the glare he received with one of his own not backing down. It wasn’t like he couldn’t see where his brother was coming from but none of this shit was part of the plan.

“Look we can make this really fucking simple right now. We talk to Martinez, we tell him what’s going down and when we draw gun on the Governor we won’t have to worry about his men shooting back at us.”

“You think just cause you can turn Martinez you can turn the others? What the fucks in you boy? Since when has something like that ever turned out right? You seen the same damn movies I did. We let him in on this he could just as easily turn that gun on us, warn Ol One Eye and then what the fuck you think is gonna happen when Rick comes strollin in to this meeting?” Merle growled his question.

“Hey you’re the one that said he was a good guy. So is he or aint he?” Daryl would challenge back and smirked when he saw his brother’s eyes narrow just enough to let him know he’d made a point. Seeing him start to sway he decided to hit him with another one. “Looks like there’s gonna be three of us not counting Rick and from the looks of it six of them so we’re gonna assume that the other three are gonna be in hiding just like you will be. That’s four to six. We get Martinez on our side not only does that even us out but he’ll also know the hiding spots of the others and they won’t think to worry about friendly fire. So again...you think you can find a way to get his damn attention or not?”

“Fucking son of a bitch,” Merle growled as he turned and simply began to move away from his brother mumbling the entire way beneath his breath. “Should have never opened by gotdamn mouth. Shit goes afoul who she gonna blame? Merle that’s who. Won’t matter one lick if it wasn’t my fucking idea or not….”

The words kept coming but he was far enough away now that Daryl couldn’t make out what they were and then he was enveloped by silence once more. He found it pretty damn funny that it wasn’t potential death that Merle was afraid of; it’s what would happen to him if he didn’t come back with him in tow that had the man mumbling to himself like he’d lost his mind. For someone who called Carol a mouse, he sure was skittish of pissing her off. He wouldn’t share that with Carol though, she’d give his brother all kinds of hell if she knew the power she had and as much as he loved that woman he had to still have some type of loyalty to his flesh and blood…at least until Merle pissed him off again.

Daryl would wait as he watched the men moving about, looking for the best positions to hide themselves. Daryl tried to keep track of the ones that morphed into the shadows unable to tell if they moved further into the woods but at least he’d have an idea of where to aim. He prayed that Merle was able to get Martinez on their side because he had a feeling that the ambush at the meeting place was only just one branch of the Governors twisted plan.

He gave himself a moment to think the worse, that while they were here they could be going straight towards the prison where only three of their best fighters would be along with two teens, a baby and a crippled. The very idea that something could happen to Carol or the others had him feeling nauseous and weak. He forced himself to remember that he’d been working with Carol, Beth and Carl himself. Had been training them not just with firearms but also knives. He knew that Maggie would be there too and between them all they were a deadly fighting force. He had to have faith that Carol would keep her promise and if shit went south they’d get the hell out of there. He had too, otherwise he’d hightail it back to the prison and tell the rest of them to figure it out for themselves.

She’d said that it was his nature to offer to go, to be the first to put the others before himself but not now. For the first time in his fucked up life he had some shit worth livin for. A clean brother, a woman who actually loved him and family who wasn’t out to hurt him. Half the time anymore he forgot about the scars on his back, the abused and damaged flesh seeming so much lighter somehow which was completely stupid considering everything going on but it was the truth. Daryl Dixon hadn’t finally started living until the end of the world. Little shit, no problem. Huntin and scouting trips; no big deal, but he vowed this would be the last time some real serious shit was going down and he wasn’t there to make sure that she was alright.

He was drawn from his thoughts when a flicker of light drew his attention as it landed briefly on the man’s face that he recognized as Martinez, he could see the frown from where he was before the man turned his back and started heading towards the light telling the rest of the men he’d be back, wanting to check out something.

Seems like Merle made a pretty damn good carrier pigeon after all. He waited for a long while, what felt like an eternity really before he heard rustling in the woods behind him. Lifting his bow and turning swiftly he’d relax when he saw the amused face of his brother.

“Gonna shoot me now after I just risked my balls cause you wanted to come up with an idea on the fly?”

“Shut up Merle, what he say…he with us?” Daryl asked as he lowered his bow but lifted his now free hand and chewed at his thumb as he waited to see if he’d just made the right call or doomed all of them. What the fuck was he thinking anyway? He should have talked it over with the rest…

“Yea he’s in. Gotta say he looked pretty damn happy to see ol Merle and was eager to help in what ways he could. When everything goes down he’ll take out the ones hiding. He doesn’t want to tell Milton yet, so we’ll have to tell the others that he’s a friendly. Oh and ya aint gotta worry about the Governor makin any plans on the prison just yet apparently he wants to return with Rick’s head so the group will know that he means business.”

“He should really get some better intel before he starts showing up on people’s doorsteps. If he thinks that would ever get us to bow down to him then he’s more delusional than you and Michonne make him out to be. With that move either he’d end up dead or every last one of us would. Wouldn’t be no bowin.”

“Yea well Phillip Blake don’t care two shits what any of you would have to say. When I said the man’s got some big guns I wasn’t just tootin my own horn. Son of a bitch has a gotdamn tank. Pretty safe to say lil brother, if we fail at killing him here later, we’ll all be dead and that bastard will get everything he wanted, just like he always does.”

“You think we ought ta tell Rick now that we know what he’s planning?” Daryl expected his brother to immediately tell him he’d lost his damn mind but was surprised when Merle took an actual moment to think about it.

“I think it would be a good idea. It was one thing, keepin him in the dark when we were planning on finishing that bastard off in a supposed peaceful sit down. Now with us knowing what he’s got up his sleeve I think it’s safe to say ol Officer Friendly aint gonna be so friendly about knowing he planned on parading his head in front of his kids. Safe to say he’ll forget all about our naughty behavior.”

“Best be headin back seein as we aint gonna be able to pick our places with them crawlin all over the place.” Daryl said as he began to move further back into the familiar shadows of the forests.

“Think we got some time to hunt while we head back? We did say we were goin huntin when he asked.” Merle questioned, eager to do a little of the activity that he’d always found some peace in, just like his little brother.

“Nah, been gone long enough as it is. Need ta get back and let everyone know what we found out. This shit needs to be handled brother. I’m tired of feelin like there’s something always breathing down my neck. We’ll go huntin tomorrow after this shirt storm settles.”

“Well…alright then if you insist but I’m pretty sure some meat might help to smooth things over when he finds out we’ve all been lying to him and being covert.” Merle chuckled; honestly he was itchin to watch the deputy sheriff’s face once he realized he’d been duped by just about everyone he held close.

“Aint like we were doing it out of harm. Besides that, Rick may be the de facto leader but aint no one really the head of this group. We voted. He lost.”

Merle laughed and shook his head. “Yea well he’d probably feel better having known there was even a vote going on to begin with.”

When Daryl looked at him with a frustrated expression Merle would merely hold up his remaining hand and his stump. “Hey now, I’m just tellin you how this is gonna go down. Good reasons or not Rick’s still gonna be pissed and he’s gonna be lookin at you the hardest.”

Daryl frowned then and looked to his brother with confusion. “Why me?”

“Cause you’re the one he’s come to rely on the most, the one to always have his back. He learns that not only were we all plannin on actin without his permission but that it was your idea for the most part, its gonna make things even harder for him to deal with.”

“We’ll he’ll just have to get over it. If I’m willing to do what needs to be done against my own blood brother, then he ought ta know I’d do what was necessary even against him.”

“What a man ought ta know and how he feels about it are two totally different things. I aint sayin he won’t forgive ya, I’m just tellin ya to be prepared for the shit storm that’s about to come your way.” Merle smirked, a small spring in his step. He might not be out for blood against the deputy any more but that didn’t mean he wasn’t lookin forward to watching him suffer just a little bit.

“You’re enjoying the idea of this way too much you know that right?” Daryl rolled his eyes but he couldn’t help but understand how his brother felt. Grade A asshole or not he’d not deserved to be locked up on that roof or to be left to saw his own hand off. He hadn’t been there but he could guess how bad his brother hand been especially hyped up on the drugs, but he still hadn’t deserved that. 

Merle, seeming to be thinking along the same lines would merely wave his stump as that was all the answer he really needed to give.

“Come on we’re wastin daylight.”

“I’m tellin ya baby bro, this is turning out to be one hell of a day.”

“Yea till we run out of luck when we actually really need it.”

“Negative Nancy,” Merle scoffed at him causing Daryl to roll his eyes though his lips quirked just a bit.

“Freaky ass ball of sunshine,” At that Merle would laugh once more, not feeling the lightness of it leave him even as they were crossing out of the woods and towards the fences of the prison. Freaky ass ball of sun shine or not, Merle Dixon, for the first time in his life, had faith that everything was actually going to turn out how it was supposed to.


	18. Stepping Back

“What in the hell you mean ya’ll thought it would be best?!” Growled Rick as he looked across to the faces of his group, fury erupting within him the more he thought about the fact that they had went behind his back and had planned this insanity.

“If you were thinkin clearly you’d see that we were right Rick…” Glen tried but was cut swiftly off.

“I’m the only one thinking clearly around here!” Rick bellowed and started advancing on Glen only to have Daryl stand in his way blocking his intentions leaving him glaring into the blue eyes of the hunter. 

“Stop this shit, aint gettin us nowhere. You wanna be pissed you be pissed at me. You been out of your head man, for while now. I made the call after listenin to Merle, if you’d have heard what he told me you wouldn’t be this damn pissed off.”

“Merle!? How you even know that what he’s sayin is true?!”

“What does it even matter if he was right or wrong at this point. He’s planning on ambushing you Rick. Don’t you think that is a little bit more important than this?” Carol’s voice rang out amongst the room, bouncing off the walls filling everyone’s ears with the calmness of it.

“Yea come on Friendly, we did ya a favor. Seems ta me you owe us a mighty big thank you.” Merle called out next to Carol, a shit eating grin on his face which caused a sharp elbow to be pushed into his side from Carol but he didn’t give a damn. He’d been waiting on this meltdown all day.

“Shut up Merle you aint helpin.” Daryl growled using his body to follow Rick’s movements, making sure that he was between him and whoever else Rick might turn his anger towards which happened to be his brother at the moment.

“What? You know it’s true. If we had listened to him we’d be walkin in there only to be gunned down within a few moments.” Merle didn’t let up on his smirk, his arms crossing over his chest his metal blade catching the light with the movement. “Face it Friendly you were wrong and my baby brother saved the day.”

“Aint what this is about…”Daryl tried only to be interrupted by Rick as he turned that angry glare at the younger man.

“You think you can do this? You think you can deal with everything bein on your head and shoulders?” Rick growled his eyes wild as they met the calm blue of Daryl’s gaze.

“Aint no one sayin you aint doin a good job Rick, hell you got us this far. You just aint been actin right, thinkin right. One minute you’re in the catacombs hackin away at anything that moves, then next your chasing shit that aint even there…” Daryl tried again only to be interrupted again.

“My wife just died I think I have a right to …”

“Your damn right you do. I aint sayin your wrong. You wanna spend the rest of your life just like you are I aint gonna judge ya and I aint tryin to take no power away from no one. But I aint gonna have our people be sittin ducks while you think it’s possible to have a friendly meeting with that asshole. Aint happenin. Sides Carol is right. Aint none of this even important cause we know what he’s plannin.”

Carol would move forward then stepping from behind Daryl so she can draw Rick’s attention to her. She could feel Daryl tense at her back, letting her take the spot she wanted but remaining there just encase. He didn’t want to think Rick would ever hurt a woman but Daryl didn’t trust him right now, not when the madness was so close in his eyes.

“Rick…” Carol began and raised her hands carefully much like she had when she’d first started pressing her time on Daryl like she was approaching a wounded animal. When her hands settled on the broad shoulders she could feel the tension within them and the slight trembling yet before she could speak Rick’s eyes would go to hers and she’d see so many emotions swirling that it broke her heart.

“I…”Rick tried but stopped and forced his eyes away as he tried to get himself under control. Knowing that they were right, knowing that they’d done the right thing. Yet to admit that he’d failed them so much… “I tried…I tried to do everything right.”

“I know you did Rick and you have. You’ve gotten us this far and you made all of us stronger. If it wasn’t’ for you most of us would already be dead. But you’ve taken on a lot and a lot has happened. You haven’t had the time to adjust to it, to accept it, to breathe.” Carol started, her hands falling from his arms to settle against his chest. “None of us wanted to go behind your back but you didn’t want to listen to us. We had to take the chance to end this Rick…you have to see that?”

Rick would finally give a heavy deep sigh and Carol felt as the tension not only melted out of him but also the hunter at her back. Rick didn’t say anything but he gave a small nod of his head and that was all that Carol needed. None of this had anything to do with the Governor or what was being planned for later. It didn’t even have to do with them going behind his back. This was about Lori and the man’s grief that was raging war on his mind. She could see it just as clearly as everyone else, Michonne and her knowing more than most it was true but the others could feel it too. It was like the man carried it around with him like a blanket.

“After the meeting…after we do what we have to do maybe you should take a step back.” Carol carefully suggestion, grateful for Hershel’s steady voice coming from behind Rick, drawing his attention as well.

“I could use some help with the crops. If we’re gonna be staying here awhile, making this place our home then we need to prepare for the winter. There are things that all of us need to do, things that each of us is strong at. No one person can take all that on son. You got people you trust, people who you consider family. They’re strong, capable. Let them grow and be there to step up if they need you.”

“We’re not tryin to take nothin from ya brother.” Daryl agreed and felt himself relax further when he saw Rick give a tiny nod of his head.

“I know…I know.” Rick finally said and lifted a hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose to try to get his chaotic mind to calm some. He’d been doing good for a few weeks now, talking to Carol and Michonne had helped but it seemed that as far as he’d thought he came it all fell apart the instant he’d heard what they had been up too. He wasn’t even sure why it had struck him the way it had. He could hear himself talking, feel the rage boiling within his body but he couldn’t stop it. It was like something else was in control of him in that’s moments and it wasn’t until he was calm again that things began to click back into focus. He had the training to know that he was suffering from PTSD but he wasn’t sure how the hell he was supposed to stop it. Maybe they were right. Maybe stepping back from things was the only way he could protect his people. Reaching to the key ring on his belt hoop he would unclip the ring and held the out towards Glen. “Here…you’re goin to need these.”

“But…I mean…uh” Glen started only to have the keys be placed in his hand after Maggie reached forward for him and placed them there.

“Daryl’s got the other set. Don’t think it’s the wisest idea for me to have them right now.” When the Korean continued to look hesitantly at him Rick would give a nod of his head towards the door that lead down to the catacombs and Glen finally gave a nod of his head as he fits the ring on his own belt hoop, frowning a bit at how the extra weight felt.

“So…what’s the plan?” Rick asked after rubbing both his hands over his face to clear it from the last few moments. When he felt a presence at his side he looked down to see his son standing there and for a brief moment Rick was afraid he might lose himself once more. How long had it been since he’d felt his son there, how long had it been since he felt like he was really doing the right thing when it came to Carl? With a slightly hesitant movement he placed his hand on the teen’s shoulder, taking solace in his nearness before turning his eyes to Daryl.

“You’re gonna go in there, let him get comfortable, let him play his game out for awhile. While you’re doing that Martinez is going to be taking care of the ones hidden while the rest of us take out the three remaining and any that slip past Martinez. We do this right the Governor won’t even know till we’re ready to let him know, if not, if shit goes wrong it’s gonna be on you to put a bullet in his brain.” Merle explained. “Think you can do that Friendly?”

“He’s got it.” Carl spoke up from his father’s side. He wasn’t blind, he knew his father hadn’t been right since his sister had been born and his mother died but he knew his dad. There wasn’t any way that his dad would fail when so much was at stake. 

“Just askin Friendly Jr...”

“Yea well I’m just answerin” Carl talked back, his eyes in a glare from beneath the rim of his hat. 

“How much longer do we wait before we head out?” Michonne asked confident now that she would be going, having feared that Rick would demand she stay behind. Of course she wouldn’t have staid but it made things easier when the untrusting man wasn’t the one calling the shots.

Glen would pull his pocket watch from his jeans and looked at it; one of the few instruments that they had that still took account of time and dates since the fall of the world. “I think we should head out in a couple hours. Let Merle and Daryl and Rick get a little rest and freshen up before we head out. I’ll keep watch on the time. Carol, Maggie you’re both good on the rifles. I want you on watch, just encase they decide to pull something this Martinez guy isn’t told about.”

“I’ll keep Judith with me in the safe room until ya’ll come back.” Beth assured not wanting Rick to be worried about his daughter when they needed him focused on his task.

“I’ll stay with them, Carl too.” Hershel continued and though Carl tensed as if he was going to argue the pressure of his father’s hand on his shoulder made him stop. “It won’t be for long son, but if something happens and they show up, your sister and Beth is going to need a little more protection than what a cripple can offer.” Hershel smiled hoping to ease the ache of being put in the safe room he was sure the young boy was feeling.

“I know what you’re doing Hershel, I’m not stupid.” Carl would grumble though there was a smile in his tone and on his lips as he moved away from his dad and headed over towards Beth and Hershal.

Hershel would just smirk and settle an arm around his shoulders as he began to guide him away from the others. “Never said you were; now just help an old man down the hall would ya?” Hershel grinned, giving the others a look before disappearing around the corner with the two teens and infant, Carl’s voice flowing back to them causing a couple to chuckle.

“Help you my ass, you move faster with one leg than you did with two.”

Carol would shake her head at the boy before turning to meet Daryl’s gaze, holding it for a long silent moment before she’d give a nod and head over towards Maggie as if some silent form of communication had been passed between the two.

Daryl watched her go, his eyes never leaving her as the two women grabbed their weapons and then disappeared out the door allowing blinding light to enter for a moment before the closing of the door allowed the darkness to envelop them once more. Once more aware of his vow he’d made himself while he’d been waiting on Merle. This was the last time he’d be leaving her behind.

“She aint weak lil brother, aint a doubt in my mind she could take down the Governor all by herself if we let her.” Merle said as he joined his brother while the others except for Glen moved out to do what they need to do to prepare for what was to come.

“Finally gonna stop callin her mouse then?” Daryl couldn’t help but ask with a smirk on his lips wondering what had finally settled his brother’s mind on how to take Carol.

“Nah, think it gets on her nerves so I’m gonna be callin her that for while.” Merle chuckled and motioned with his head towards outside as he fished the pack of cigarettes the brother’s shared from Daryl’s shirt pocket.

“You know she cooks most of the food don’t you?” Glen asked as he followed the Dixon’s outside and took in the moment of having the sun on him for the first time since waking up earlier.

“Mouse wouldn’t hurt my food.” Merle said knowingly as he lifted the cigarette up to his mouth and leaned in to the flame his brother was holding out for him. When he righted himself he was greeted by two expressions that clearly said he’d lost his mind. “What?”

“Why in the hell you think she wouldn’t hurt your food?” Daryl couldn’t help but ask as he lit his own smoke and held out the pack to Glen who violently shook his head and widened his eyes.

“God no, Maggie would kick my ass.”

“Pussy, and to answer the question, she aint gonna mess with me cause then I’d mess with her where it really hurt.” Merle stated smugly which only had the other two looking at him further like he was from another planet.

“I happen to know that Carol wouldn’t even hesitate.” Daryl smirked and chuckled as he blew out the precious white smoke.

“Yea really dude. I really don’t think you know Carol all that well then. That woman threatens to do it all the time.” Glen agreed as he leaned against the warm brick of the building.

“Nah, ya’ll give in to her too damn easy, makin her think she has some control or some shit. See there’s one thing that woman’s got goin for her now that she’d do just about anything to keep havin.” Merle said smugly as he made smoke rings much to Glen’s delight and amusement.

“I’m almost afraid to ask.” The young Korean man laughed softly and shook his head; knowing whatever was to follow was probably going to be awful or vulgar or far more information than he wanted.

“A good lay.” Merle answered. “Woman probably aint ever even had a good puttin too what with that fat lazy bastard she was married too. So she’s gonna be all about my brother’s dick for awhile and she wouldn’t take too kindly to being interrupted every time she wanted to scratch the itch.” Merle answered with a wicked gleam in his eye as he looked at his brother from the corner of his eye, watching as the younger man’s face lost all emotion and went a little pale.

“Dude…that’s harsh. You’d punish your brother to just…wait what am I saying. Of course you would.” Glen shook his head and looked over at Daryl. “If he ever does some shit like that just come find me I can tell you where all the good hiding places are. And believe me they’re places even his ass won’t find. He might be hell bent on revenge but no one and nothing wants to ruin those moments more than an over protective dad…trust me.”

Merle and Daryl both laughed at that feeling sympathy for the young man cause they knew if it wasn’t the old man it would be Beth and Judith trying to interrupt though there’s at least was on accident.

“Never thought I’d say it short round but I gotta admit that sucks.” Merle responded through his chuckling. “I’d be stealin that bastards crutch if he kept that shit up.”

“And have Maggie kick my ass?! No thanks. The point is getting laid, not pissing the daughter off and having her shut you out for a couple days.” Glen hissed causing the Dixon’s to laugh once more.

“Who wears the pants in that relationship? You a man aintcha or has your balls not dropped yet?” Merle teased causing the Korean to roll his eyes at him while Daryl smirked and wisely remained quiet just glad the two weren’t trying to kill each other at the moment.

“Ask Maggie if they dropped cause seems to me I’m the one getting laid and you’re the one getting familiar with a new hand.” Glen replied smugly causing Daryl to bark out a laugh as Merle growled.

“Don’t make me have to go show that pretty girl what its like to be with a real man.” Merle warned causing Glen to merely raise an eyebrow a smirk still playing on his lips.

“Like she’d have you. She’d come more near killing you than I would. Don’t forget she hates your guts.”

“So? Some of the best sex I ever had was with the women who hated Ol Merle the most.” Merle rolled his hips and gave a lick to his lips that caused both the other men to groan and shake their heads in disgust.

“Yea and that’s how you ended up with the Clap.” Daryl smirked. 

“Would ya stop bringin that shit up! I got it cleared up before the shit hit the fan.”

“On that note I’m gonna go make rounds…” Glen trailed off as he backed away shaking his head as the visions of Merle Dixon “putting it to” someone filled his head. “I think I’m gonna be sick.”

“Sometimes I worry about you man.” Daryl shook his head and finished his smoke tossing it away.

“Sometimes?” Merle joked and followed suit. “Come on little brother. Let’s go get ready to handle our business. It’s a fine day for some killin.”

“Your mood is really…just starting to freak me out.” Daryl grumbled only causing his brother to laugh as he disappeared into the darkness of the prison once more leaving Daryl to shake his head and follow.


	19. Moving Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> {Again though I know you guys are tired of hearing it, I am so very sorry for the delay in this chapter. Between real life family issues, health and work not to mention a horrible case of writer's block, I just simply couldn't get to this. For those of you still hanging with me, you will never know how much your support means and to those of you who maybe new I hope that you enjoy! Thanks so much to HaloHunter89 for giving me the simple advice needed to get this chapter out!
> 
> Also, I know some of you will read the part with Rick and Phillip going –this is straight cannon…well, you're right it is. This is the moment where my story completely breaks away from that of the Canon Timeline and Events so just bare with me lol}

They moved like wraiths through the shadow of the forests, their movements seemingly apart of the darkness reaching out suddenly to the sound of a death rattle. They didn't think about the blood being fresh and warm, didn't care about the fact that these men were living just seconds before their knives sunk into the soft part of their skulls and stole that life from them. What did it matter to them that they were taking these men's lives? They had come with their own intentions after all.

Daryl didn't hesitate, not one second as he moved silently amongst the forest floor, distributing his weight so that he gave no warning to his intentions before he would suddenly spring forward. His rough hand would wrap around the man's mouth as he dragged the heavy body down thrusting his blade up sinking it home deep and swift.

He would hear what sounded like a whip-poor-will and turned his head in the direction it came from seeing his brother making his way from the left with Michonne stepping out onto his right as they met on either side of him.

"You don't think there are any more of them out here, do you? Maybe Martinez could have heard wrong," Michonne began only to be interrupted by Merle's scoff.

"Aint no one heard nothin wrong, sides, I didn't see no other footprints but for ol one eye did you lil brother?"

"Nah, aint no one else out here but Martinez and the fucker he's takin out." When Michonne still seemed to worry over the thought he would give her a nudge until Daryl had her full attention. "I mean it, I looked high and low, aint no one else here."

Michonne would give a reluctant nod of her head, trusting Daryl far more than she trusted Merle and it didn't go past the older Dixon's notice.

"Aint that what I just said, how come you all for listenin to Darlena here and not me?"

Daryl would shake his head and probably would have rubbed at the tension pressing at the back of his eyes if it wasn't for the fact that he was keeping his gaze trained on the woods on the opposite side of the clearing, waiting to see the flash of light that would be Martinez's signal that all was clear on his end.

They didn't have time for this shit, the two could bicker and argue all they wanted once they were back at the prison and Daryl was sure that they were finally safe from this assholes threat. Unfortunately for him Michonne didn't seem to be in the sullen frame of mind today and was actually giving into Merle's bullshit.

"I listen to DARYL because he has a genuine care for the man in the building. You, on the other hand, would like nothing more than to see Rick get taken out."

"Yea, aint gonna argue with ya there but lookit sugartits, aint no one takin out officer friendly but ol Merle you can bet your sweet dark ass on that," Merle smirked and blew the woman a kiss.

Before Michonne could say something snarky in response, which Daryl knew she was just itching to do, he saw the light reflecting from the broken mirror piece they'd given Martinez and lifted his hand to call for silence.

Without another word, they would slip from the forests and make their way towards the building housing Rick and Phillip. As they neared the worn out structure they could hear the muffled sound of men talking though it seemed like Phillip was the one doing most of it.

Martinez would give a quick nod of his head before easing the wood door open at the back of the building just enough to let them in one at a time before they were once more swallowed up by the darkness.

"You're the town drunk who knocked over my fence and ripped up my yard, nothing more." Daryl heard Rick's gruff but quiet words and motioned for the others to hold up their movements while they listened for a moment more.

He would feel a touch at his arm and turned his head to watch as Martinez motioned that he and Merle were gonna circle around to the left. He gave a silent nod and motioned for Michonne to follow him. He wasn't nervous having the woman at his back, he hadn't known her long but she'd already proven herself damn capable and besides; he hadn't done nothin to piss her off.

No, truth was he actually liked the woman. She was tough as nails and took no shit from anyone, especially not Merle. While the others either looked at his brother like the scum he showed them he could be or like an errant child that just needed a long time out and not the man he was, Michonne didn't. She talked to him with the perfect mixture of annoyance, skepticism and believe it or not respect for the knowledge and skills she knew he had.

She wasn't Carol or Maggie but somehow she was a little bit of both plus something entirely new. She was a woman to respect and was an addition to the group at large rather than just another mouth to feed and back to worry for.

"You know the truth is, I didn't want any of this," The Governor's voice drew Daryl's thoughts back to where they belonged and he listened attentively just as the others did to the man who didn't know he was already dead.

"They chose me cause there was nobody else around." Phillip began to explain as he left the table he had been sitting at with Rick and rubbed his hands together. "And they still think I'm the man that can keep them safe." The smile on Phillip's face was that of almost mocking amusement and it grated on Daryl's nerves just like it did Rick's, he could tell by the way Rick shifted in his seat.

"They still think I know what I'm doin." Phillip held his hands out almost in a helpless fashion but the growing amusement was hard to ignore on his face and Daryl wondered how long it would be before one of them had to wipe that look off it. Daryl watched as he moved to one of the posts and tensed as he watched him pull his gun belt down. Didn't matter how armed he made himself, he wasn't leaving this barn alive.

"I know you got guns," Phillip began again as he started to put the belt on. "That was quite a stash you brought back the other day. Now my people aren't combat tested like yours are but… I got more of them." He smirked as he made his way back to the table and back to the still seated Rick. "This fight will go down to the last man. So let's end it. Today, let's not do this, we can walk away. You have something that I want. One thing that makes this all alright."

"I'm not givin up the prison." Rick was quick to reply making the Governor chuckle as he took a seat once more.

"No I uh, I don't want your prison that doesn't sound safe at all. I mean you lost your wife and another man."

"We're not movin on."

"What good would that do me? Best you stay where I can keep my one good eye on ya." The Governor would grow quiet then and it took a moment of studying his movements for Daryl to realize that he was pulling the patch from over his head.

Daryl could feel Michonne tensing beside her, could hear the quiet sound of her air being swiftly pushed from her chest as if she knew what was going to be said next.

"I want Michonne. Turn her over and this all goes away. She worth it? One woman worth all those lives in your prison. Is she?"

Suddenly there was movement and for once Daryl didn't try to stop the events from unfolding. He had thought that they would come all together to let the Governor see just how foolish a choice he'd made by attempting this little coo of his but in the split second he had to think about it, he realized that this was how it was always going to end.

Without a single sound, Michonne would drive forward, the only sound for several heartbeats was the sickening sound of blood dripping from the end of a sword. Daryl watched as the Governor slowly looked down and saw the end of the Katana sticking from his body painted red with his blood.

"She is." Rick would say calmly with a smile causing the Governor's head to jerk up and meet his gaze. He tried to say something, his lips moving though no sound but that same death rattle could be heard before the man fell over onto the table, blood leaking from his lips as his eyes went cold and empty.

"Well shit…this was a bit anticlimactic don'tcha think? I at least wanted to look the bastard in the eye and give him a kick in the balls for leaving me up there on that cliff." Merle complained taking the offered cigarette from Martinez.

"Nah, this way is better. This all was between those two anyway. He wanted the prison, aint sayin that, but he wanted her dead somethin bad. What did you do anyway, well besides take his eye." Martinez laughed as he lit the end of his smoke with the lighter that Merle passed him.

"I put his walker daughter down." Michonne said without a hint of emotion in her gaze or her tone as she began cleaning her katana but Daryl wasn't fooled. Even the toughest son of a bitch had trouble putting down a kid, dead or alive. He should know and one look at Rick said he was thinking the same.

"So whata we do now officer friendly? I mean it's all well and good that that prick is dead, but what happens when his people get the memo that we took out their Savior?" Merle asked passing both smokes and lighter now over to Daryl.

"Aint our problem," Daryl said gruffly as he lit up and took a deep drag before handing them back to Martinez who was eying Rick.

"Could be," Michonne tried to reason. "They think we did this out of cold blood they could come looking for a fight. He was right about some things. They have the greater manpower and the bigger weapons."

Finally, Martinez would break his silence after blowing out the smoke he'd been savoring while thinking. "What if some of your people come over, we send some of ours to you. We're not that far apart for trade to establish if there is trust."

"Those fuckers tried to kill me! Tried to make me battle my own brother!" Daryl growled out advancing on the man only to have Merle step between them keeping his little brother from doing something without thinking.

"Those fuckers were told by that dead fucker over there that they were the ones attacked. You know how many of those people aint seen a damn thing outside those town walls since this whole thing started? They're sheep who had a fucked up Sheppard leading them."

"Those same sheep the ones that raped all them women or have you forgotten already?" Daryl growled causing Rick to turn his head swiftly towards the arguing brothers.

"What the hell ya'll talkin about?"

"It's the reason we made the call to come here today to handle this shit. Bastard would go out with his group and take anything they came across that they wanted including little girls and women. Made their men watch, killed a pregnant girl and let the baby kill her from the inside after rapin her for days. So anyone who thinks I'm letting any of those motherfuckers near any of mine ya'll better be prepared to kill me cause I'll take each one down before they cross through the gate."

"Now just get those panties out of a twist lil brother, you think I'd let any of those men near Mouse and them kids? I'm the one that told you about all this shit 'member? Just cause they're some bad apples in the bunch don't mean ya throw out the whole fuckin barrel. There is women and kids there too. We get rid of the ones we need and help the rest."

"And if the people of Woodbury don't like the fact that we're killing off their men who they believe are innocent, what do you think would happen then?" Michonne broke in, listening to both men's points equally. She wasn't too keen on mingling with Woodbury, not yet but she could see how it would benefit them in the future too.

"I will explain everything to them, they trust me. Merle…though I hate to say it, is right. They are not all bad. We have many elderly, single families, young people. They should not be held accountable for what Phillip and his men did. This could work." Martinez offered.

Daryl would slowly simmer down though still glaring at his brother but it was Rick that finally came to some sort of decision. "Merle and Martinez are familiar to them, you two and Andrea go back, take care of the threat within and explain to them what's really going on. If they want to set up trade then we will, as a group, decide if we are open to it, if not then they stick to their territory we stick to ours."

"If Andrea goes then I go." Michonne would state firmly letting them know there would be no arguments.

"Fine with me sugartits, I figured you wouldn't want to be away from ol Merle too long anyway." He winked, his blue eyes bright as he pushed a kiss towards the katana-wielding badass.

"Enough of this shit, I'm headin back. Merle, don't make her have to kill you." He warned before simply turning and heading out of the abandoned building. He still wasn't thrilled with letting any of those people near his family but he also had to admit he saw his brother's point too.

Fuck all this day was the weirdest day in his goddamn life. Now Merle was even making sense and talkin logical. He had to be dreaming or some shit.


End file.
